Loop Line passengers invited to discuss alternative travel plans

Rail passengers who use the Loop Line will be able to try out a special package of alternative bus services from next week, ahead of its closure in October.

GMPTE officials will be on hand at stations along the rail line over the next month to discuss the services, which will start running on 31 August and aim to support passengers when it closes for conversion to Metrolink on Saturday 3 October.

Bus operator First is providing a mixture of express and high frequency services that reflect the kind of journeys currently made on the line, and GMPTE has also modified the routes it pays for to ensure that an appropriate level of service is provided.

Local people will be able to find out more at the following stations:

• Newhey – Tuesday 8 September
• Milnrow – Tuesday 1 September
• Rochdale – Thursday 27 August

Staff from GMPTE will be on hand from 7am to 9am and 4.30pm to 6.30pm to provide information to passengers and answer questions.

Michael Renshaw, GMPTE’s Interim Bus & Rail Director, said: “I would encourage anyone who currently travels on the Loop Line to go along to one of the drop-in events so we can help you to plan your journeys on the alternative bus services.

“They will be running from Monday – a whole month in advance – so people can try them out well in advance of the heavy rail services finishing.”

The new Metrolink lines to Rochdale and Oldham are part of a £600 million expansion of the Metrolink network, which will also take trams to East Manchester and Droylsden, Chorlton, and MediaCityUK in Salford.

The two-and-a-half-year construction project will see trams running from the city centre to Central Park by spring 2011, Oldham Mumps by autumn 2011 and Rochdale by spring 2012.

Metrolink services will run between Shaw & Crompton and Manchester every 6 minutes, and between Rochdale and Manchester every 12 minutes.

New Metrolink stops will be built at Freehold, Newbold and outside Rochdale railway station.

Rail services will run as normal on the Calder Valley line between Manchester, Rochdale and Leeds.