Exchange Square or Shudehill and Market Street

[northwichcat]

Currently all trams going between Piccadilly/Deansgate and Victoria call at Shudehill and Market Street. However, it is proposed the Airport service will call at Exchange Square instead.

I imagine when they have two city crossings they'll want to split the trams fairly evenly between the two routes so will existing services be diverted that way?

Exchange Square and Market Street are both convenient for the Arndale Centre but Shudehill and Market Street are certainly more convenient for interchanging between bus services and Metrolink.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Quite an interesting query, but you have to bear in mind that the date for the completion of the extension from St Werburghs Road to Manchester Airport is not scheduled until Summer 2016.

You do mention interchange facilities between bus and Metrolink services and I am sure that this will be only one of many items upon the logistics agenda of TfGM over the forthcoming period.

The schiematic line drawing on the Future Metrolink site shows only the tram stations from St Werburghs Road to Manchester Airport, but if, as you say, the proposals are for the new station at Exchange Square to be served, then this will be the station in question. It may be too early yet to approach TfGM for hard and fast information of the information asked in your thread question, as speculation upon this matter, at such an early stage, is somewhat fruitless.

 

[WatcherZero]

Current thinking is the MediaCity-Cornbrook shuttle would be extended to Victoria, the Airport services would go to Victoria and onwards to Oldham or Rochdale (no point competing with fast rail services direct from Airport-Piccadilly) as well as half of the East Didsbury services. If a Trafford line was built it would also go via the 2cc. So the usage comes from new lines rather than changes to existing services.

 

[northwichcat]

The schiematic line drawing on the Future Metrolink site shows only the tram stations from St Werburghs Road to Manchester Airport, but if, as you say, the proposals are for the new station at Exchange Square to be served, then this will be the station in question. It may be too early yet to approach TfGM for hard and fast information of the information asked in your thread question, as speculation upon this matter, at such an early stage, is somewhat fruitless.

I think the issue will be do you provide consistency or alternate. For instance, if you sent Piccadilly-Bury via Exchange Square then the 6 minute frequency for Bury at Shudehill and Market Street would be lost but some people may find it more convenient to have an Exchange Square stop.

Current thinking is the MediaCity-Cornbrook shuttle would be extended to Victoria, the Airport services would go to Victoria and onwards to Oldham or Rochdale (no point competing with fast rail services direct from Airport-Piccadilly) as well as half of the East Didsbury services. If a Trafford line was built it would also go via the 2cc. So the usage comes from new lines rather than changes to existing services.

I think it would be good to have an East-West link - linking the new line that's going out to Ashton to Salford Quays/Eccles but due to the way trams operate at Piccadilly that may prove too difficult.

 

[snail]

With the St Peter's Square proposals, alternate direct routes aren't really an issue. All services will meet at the same stop, with cross platform transfers. At the same time, it is being proposed that Princess St will become a quality bus corridor so there will also be interchanges available to a number of bus routes.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think the issue will be do you provide consistency or alternate. For instance, if you sent Piccadilly-Bury via Exchange Square then the 6 minute frequency for Bury at Shudehill and Market Street would be lost but some people may find it more convenient to have an Exchange Square stop.

If you are considering Metrolink and bus interchange facilities, you have to look at the different areas of Greater Manchester that are served by Shudehill bus station (mainly north and west areas) and Piccadilly bus station (mainly south and east areas).

This is why I find it difficult to give you a definative answer to the point that you raised. It would really depend upon the home area of the prospective traveller.