The first tram from East Didsbury will leave at 5.49am and is expected to be packed with transport enthusiasts eager to be the first on board.
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The first passengers will start travelling on the new Metrolink extension to East Didsbury tomorrow.
The first tram from East Didsbury will leave at 5.49am and is expected to be packed with transport enthusiasts eager to be the first on board.
The 2.7-mile route is an extension of the line that currently ends at St Werburgh’s Road in Chorlton. It is opening three months ahead of schedule.
The extension means the total size of the network is now 45.6-miles – the distance from Manchester to Blackpool.
When the £1.4bn Big Bang expansion is completed, with an extension to the airport, it will be the biggest tram network in the country – but it still has a long way to go before it eclipses the world’s largest urban tram network, the 160-mile Yarra system in Melbourne, Australia.
The opening of the line marks a huge milestone for Coun Andrew Fender, the chairman of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee.
Almost exactly 30 years ago to the day, he led a rail study group that encouraged the then Greater Manchester Council to buy a stretch of the former Manchester Midland mainline through Chorlton and Didsbury for just £1.
That stopped the line being sold to developers, and it is now the route of the service.
Mr Fender said: “It was the best £1 that we’ve ever spent. Metrolink is now the biggest tram network in the UK. It’s fantastic to be able to announce the opening of this new line several months ahead of schedule.”
The line has five new stops at Withington, Burton Road, West Didsbury, Didsbury Village and East Didsbury.
It is hoped it will ease congestion on some of Manchester’s busiest commuter routes, including Kingsway, Wilmslow Road and Princess Parkway.
A 300-space park-and-ride site, which will be free for Metrolink passengers, has been built at the East Didsbury stop. The journey to the city centre takes less than half an hour.
New lines are also being extended to Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Airport, and there are plans to build a second line through the city centre.
When the airport line opens in 2016, the Metrolink network will be 59-miles long – more than three times the original 18.5-mile network that opened in 1992.
Coun Nigel Murphy, Manchester council’s executive member for the environment, grew up near the St Werburgh’s Road stop and went to school in Didsbury. He said: “The connection between Chorlton and Didsbury will benefit both communities and local businesses in both areas and beyond.
“Having a well-connected city where people can easily access employment, social and leisure opportunities is absolutely fundamental to Manchester’s future success.”
The new tram line opens up a large swathe of south Manchester to the network. Here’s our guide to what’s where:
WITHINGTON: The Withington stop is on Princess Road close to the Cavendish Road and offers access to Hough End Playing Fields, the site of the planned new leisure centre. Walking distance to Southern Cemetery, it also has bus connections to Moss Side.
BURTON ROAD: This area of West Didsbury is home to an array of restaurants and independent shops, plus pubs including the Railway and the popular Metropolitan. Restaurants include Greens and the Elvis-themed Thai E-Sarn. The stop is a short walk from Withington Community Hospital.
WEST DIDSBURY: The West Didsbury stop is close to the Northern Lawn Tennis Club, a Pizza Express restaurant and the Greenfinch pub. It is less than a mile from the Christie Hospital. It offers bus connections to Withington and Fallowfield along Wilmslow Road.
DIDSBURY VILLAGE: The next stop at Didsbury Village is just yards from all the shops, pubs and eateries that the village has to offer. They include independent and specialist shops, including the Cheese Hamlet and Axons butchers, and bars and restaurants including Gusto.
EAST DIDSBURY: The final stop near the Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre and not far from Didsbury Cricket Club. It is a five minute walk from Didsbury Park, and pubs including The Didsbury and Ye Olde Cock Inn. There are buses to the Heatons in Stockport.