New Year fireworks in Manchester delayed by tram entering restricted area

[northwichcat]

It's been reported on all the various local media outlets that fireworks due to go off in Manchester city centre for the start of New Year were delayed for 4 minutes because a tram entered a restricted zone. All the reports indicate that Manchester City council are awaiting a response from transport bosses. Does anyone know why the tram entered the city centre area when it was apparently not supposed to?

 

[Shrimper]

Because as far as Metrolink were concerned, rent-a-gob Karney hadn't actually liased with them to ask them to suspend the service.

 

[northwichcat]

Because as far as Metrolink were concerned, rent-a-gob Karney hadn't actually liased with them to ask them to suspend the service.

Even though they put on their website?

Metrolink services on New Year’s Eve
...
Due to crowds expected to attend the event, trams will not stop at the Market Street stop between approximately 11.40pm and 12.15am. During this short period, customers should use alternative stops at Piccadilly Gardens, Shudehill and St Peter’s Square. Piccadilly Gardens stop may be subject to potential closure on safety grounds during this period.

So Metrolink were expecting Piccadilly Gardens to be closed off.

 

[Shrimper]

Perhaps, but there is a difference between 'may be' and 'will be'; to me it sounds as if a) the crowd control was insufficient hence the tram jam and then b) no-one actually checked with Metrolink as to what their operational plans were during the celebrations (and oh, by the way, do you mind if we use your running lines as a danger zone without permission or any safeguards?).

The Metrolink plan could undoubtedly have been better; but ultimately their decision was to run through midnight. If the organisers had checked that they could easily have planned around it.

 

[edwin_m]

There's a difference between closing stops and suspending service on a section of the route. The wording quoted from Metrolink suggests they were closing stops, presumably for crowd control purposes, but says nothing about suspending the service.

 

[table38]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/metrolink-bosses-say-people-blame-8369734

Metrolink now say there was ‘significant pedestrian footfall’ around the tracks and the tram driver was forced to stop for people’s safety.

But town hall bosses say ‘common sense should have prevailed’ and the tram should have been halted before it even reached Piccadilly Gardens.

Peter Cushing, TfGM’s Metrolink Director, said: “The safety of pedestrians is paramount so, due to a significant pedestrian footfall in the area some of who were blocking the tracks, the driver had to stop the tram as it approached Piccadilly Gardens.

“The driver then waited for the signal to indicate that he could move forward, as is the correct and safe procedure.

"Unfortunately this resulted in a slight delay to the firework display. Our safety procedures are based on industry-standard principles and best practice, meet all legislative guidelines and follow a thorough process of hazard and risk assessment involving the police and local authorities.”

But city councillor Pat Karney said: “We are going to meet with Metrolink on Friday and I’m going to get a full account of what happened. Piccadilly Gardens is a problematic area because it’s a big transport interchange, but I would have thought that common sense would have prevailed. The tram could have been stopped at Market Street. Everyone knows when midnight is, and that the fireworks would be going off.

 

[northwichcat]

There's a difference between closing stops and suspending service on a section of the route. The wording quoted from Metrolink suggests they were closing stops, presumably for crowd control purposes, but says nothing about suspending the service.

They do use different wording though. They mention trams not stopping at Market Street while they mention closure of Piccadilly Gardens stop.

Regardless of whose fault it was surely Metrolink know what has happened in previous years and could have checked what the situation was if no-one had directly informed them?

Also out of curiosity if there was a sign saying "No vehicles beyond this point" is a tram driver supposed to obey that?

 

[455driver]

Why should Metrolink check anything?
It is up to the council to ask Metrolink (and Metrolink to agree) for a cessation of services, the council can't just close the tracks "because that's what we always do"!

 

[northwichcat]

Why should Metrolink check anything?
It is up to the council to ask Metrolink (and Metrolink to agree) for a cessation of services, the council can't just close the tracks "because that's what we always do"!

So if Manchester City Council put out a road closure notice (as happens for many events) do Metrolink have a special arrangement that they are allowed to operate despite the road closure notice if they've not agreed to suspend their service? We're talking about a road with tram tracks on it not a rail line here.

I've just checked and road closure notices were given for:
* Oldham Street between Back Piccadilly and Piccadilly
* Piccadilly between Oldham St and Lever St
* Parker St
Active between 23:15 on 31/12/14 and 00:30 on 01/01/15

 

[Boysteve]

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/metrolink-bosses-say-people-blame-8369734

Maybe I am missing something, but the tram signal does not usually take 4 minutes to clear!

The problem here is that the tram entered the 'fall out' zone. Why plan to have the fall out zone across the tram tracks? Seems not the best plan whilst the trams are running. However if trams were able to enter this zone then probably pedestrians could also have done so! Unless they had security preventing this but the self same security then waved the tram through.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Also out of curiosity if there was a sign saying "No vehicles beyond this point" is a tram driver supposed to obey that?

I believe so, it's a road vehicle like any other in the eyes of the law (give or take dedicated signalling).

Neil

 

[table38]

Now they are saying that:

The M.E.N. understands an events plan for the celebrations drawn up by the council and Metrolink allowed for trams to continue through Piccadilly Gardens throughout the night.

That plan was followed, but when a tram was forced to stop due to the crowds, the pyrotechnics team ordered a delay on the fireworks for safety reasons.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchesters-new-year-celebrations-moved-8375289

 

[richardio123]

The problem was the crowds. The tram driver chose to stop on the case that it would have been to dangerous from it to move any further as all the tracks were clogged with people, 15,000 people turned up to the event.

Theoretically they shouldn't have even moved the new year celebrations to Piccadilly Gardens, they should have been kept in Albert Square. Pat Carney was saying things on the microphone like;

"The driver will be sacked tomorrow"

"if you don't move in 10 seconds we will push it out the way"

He is just a ridiculous man. Metrolink kept trams running after 1am just for the New year celebrations,and kept twitter staff on till after 1am. Imagine the uproar if Metrolink didn't run a service.

 

[Bletchleyite]

He is just a ridiculous man. Metrolink kept trams running after 1am just for the New year celebrations,and kept twitter staff on till after 1am. Imagine the uproar if Metrolink didn't run a service.

I was just thinking it rather good that they were doing - most public transport gives up at 8pm-ish outside London.

Neil

 

[BestWestern]

"But city councillor Pat Karney said: “We are going to meet with Metrolink on Friday and I’m going to get a full account of what happened....Everyone knows when midnight is, and that the fireworks would be going off".

"If you don't move in 10 seconds we will push it out the way."

"The driver will be sacked tomorrow".


What an utter tw@t. I rather hope the tram driver publicly shames him by requesting an apology via the Evening News, since the idiot clearly had no idea what arrangements had been made by his own local authority despite sounding off in front of the crowd. D**khead.

 

[northwichcat]

Imagine the uproar if Metrolink didn't run a service.

Really? Northern Rail started shutting down at 8pm on New Year's Eve. Did that cause uproar?

On a normal Friday/Saturday night Metrolink shuts down earlier (the last Rochdale tram is before mid-night) with nightbuses provide the late trips so I imagine people would have been happy to catch the usual nightbuses if Metrolink hadn't operated. Although, whether Stagecoach could have provided operated enough nightbuses to cope with the extra demand is another question.

 

[richardio123]

Really? Northern Rail started shutting down at 8pm on New Year's Eve. Did that cause uproar?

It did on Twitter.. I felt sorry for the social media staff.

The last tram from Market Street on a normal Saturday to Rochdale is 00:31,Bury 00:57,East Didsbury 00:46

That whole timetable was adjusted by +1 hour

The last train to Rochdale from Victoria on a normal Saturday is 23:21.