Work set to start on £350m Metrolink expansion

Work is set to start on the new £350m six-stop Metrolink line to the Trafford Centre.Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is due to begin enabling and utility works along the route this week. As part of these works, some isolated and localised traffic management measures, including lane closures, may be required.TfGM has appointed Metrolink expansion contractor MPact-Thales to construct the 3.4-mile line. The planned Trafford Park extension will branch off from the existing Pomona tram stop, calling at Wharfside near to the Old Trafford football stadium, the Imperial War Museum, Trafford Park, EventCity and the Trafford Centre.Trafford Park is the largest major employment zone in Greater Manchester outside the city centre and is home to 1,300 businesses and more than 35,000 jobs.Work on the new tram line is expected to take approximately four years. Upon opening, the enlarged Metrolink network will span more than 64 miles and feature 99 stops.TfGM is holding a series of drop-in sessions throughout January and February 2017 to explain its plans to the public.