Town centre Metrolink now open to passengers

Town centre Metrolink stop

Rochdale’s new town centre Metrolink opened to passengers this morning and the first passenger tram from the Smith Street stop set off slightly later than the scheduled time of 5.53am.

A spokesperson for Transport for Greater Manchester said: “There was a very minor hold up this morning on the very first tram due in part to the number of people who had turned out to ride on the first tram and a minor signalling issue that delayed the departure for a few minutes – the two together led to a slightly later departure than scheduled.”

The new town centre tram stop is directly opposite Number One Riverside.

Leader of Rochdale Council, Colin Lambert, said: “The opening of the Metrolink in Rochdale is another huge step forward in the regeneration of Rochdale town centre.

“Along with the proposed £100m retail and family leisure facility and our unrivalled heritage offer it will help turn Rochdale into a popular destination for visitors and better connect us to the rest of the region.”

Continuing on from the existing Oldham line at Shaw & Crompton, the extension will run to Rochdale Railway Station, serving the former railway stations at Newhey and Milnrow and two brand new destinations at Kingsway and Newbold.

Services will run every 12 minutes, calling at key employment centres at Kingsway, Shaw & Crompton, Oldham Mumps, Central Park and Manchester city centre.

More than 200 park-and-ride spaces are also be available to passengers travelling on Metrolink and heavy rail services from Rochdale.

The town centre line brings the size of the current Metrolink network to 48.5 miles (78km), serving 77 stops.​