Cornbrook tram stop, a major interchange on the Metrolink network
Geographic map of the system

Since opening in 1992, the Manchester Metrolink light-rail/tram system has grown to a network of 99 tram stops.

The system opened in April 1992 with 20 tram stops with routes radiating from Manchester Victoria to Bury and Manchester Piccadilly to Altrincham. Phase 2 extended the network to Eccles with 12 new tram stops and a new interchange at Cornbrook was built in 1999. Phase 3a involved the construction of 36 new stops and new lines to Rochdale via Oldham, Tameside and East Didsbury. The first stops as part of Phase 3a opened in 2011 and the final stop opened in 2014. A new 9 miles (14 km) line to Manchester Airport became operational in November 2014 – 12 months ahead of schedule.[1][2]

The network consists of over 62 miles (100 km) of track, making it the largest tram system in the United Kingdom and second only to the London Underground in terms of an urban commuter network. As of 2020, upon the completion of the Trafford Park Line, the Metrolink system has 99 stops. Primary future proposals include tram-trains to Bolton and Wigan and an extension from East Didsbury to Stockport.

List of Metrolink stops

Borough Tram stops
Manchester 42
Trafford 18
Oldham 10
Salford 10
Tameside 7
Bury 6
Rochdale 6
Bolton 0
Stockport 0
Wigan 0
Total 99

Current stops

Correct as of 22 March 2020
Tram stop[3] Photo Line Metropolitan borough District Opened Zone Footfall 2021/22[4] Notes
Abraham Moss Bury Line Manchester Cheetham Hill 18 November 2011 2 153,900 For Abraham Moss Library and College Campus.
Altrincham
(National Rail Altrincham)
Altrincham Line Trafford Altrincham 15 June 1992 4 1,755,800 For Altrincham Interchange. Terminus of the Altrincham Line.
Anchorage Eccles Line Salford Salford Quays 12 June 1999 2 230,721 For Anchorage Quay.
Ashton Moss East Manchester Line Tameside Ashton Moss 9 October 2013 3 128,400 For Ashton Leisure Complex and Snipe Retail Park.
Ashton-under-Lyne
(National Rail Ashton-under-Lyne)
East Manchester Line Tameside Ashton-under-Lyne 9 October 2013 3 499,100 For Ashton-under-lyne Interchange and its railway station.

Terminus of the East Manchester Line.

Ashton West East Manchester Line Tameside Ashton Moss 9 October 2013 3 85,200 For Leisure and retail complex and Tameside stadium
Audenshaw East Manchester Line Tameside Audenshaw 9 October 2013 3 129,800 Serves Audenshaw.
Baguley Airport Line Manchester Baguley 3 November 2014 3 82,800 Serves Baguley and Roundthorn Industrial Estate.
Barlow Moor Road Airport Line Manchester Chorlton-cum-Hardy 3 November 2014 2/3 290,700 For Chorlton Park.
Barton Dock Road Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park 22 March 2020 3 219,300 For Trafford Palazzo.
Benchill Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 122,200 For Benchill Health Centre, and sixth form college
Besses o' th' Barn Bury Line Bury Besses o' th' Barn 6 April 1992 3 319,400 Serves small area of Whitefield, Manchester.
Bowker Vale Bury Line Manchester Bowker Vale 6 April 1992 2/3 310,500 Serves Higher Blackley and Bowker Vale areas of Manchester.
Broadway Eccles Line Salford Salford Quays 12 June 1999 3 87,521 Serves MediaCityUK, along with Harbour City and MediaCityUK tram stops.
Brooklands Altrincham Line Trafford Brooklands 15 June 1992 3/4 768,900 Serves the Brooklands area of Sale.
Burton Road South Manchester Line Manchester Withington 23 May 2013 3 786,300 For Withington Community Hospital, and West Didsbury.
Bury Bury Line Bury Bury 6 April 1992 4 1,699,400 For Bury Interchange and the town centre.

Terminus of the Bury Line.

Cemetery Road East Manchester Line Tameside Droylsden 8 February 2013 3 112,800 Serves parts of Droylsden and Fairfield.
Central Park Oldham and Rochdale Line Manchester Newton Heath 13 June 2012 2 147,500 For Central Park (business park), and Moston.
Chorlton South Manchester Line Manchester Chorlton 7 July 2011 2 1,216,800 Serves Chorlton.
Clayton Hall East Manchester Line Manchester Clayton 8 February 2013 2 100,900 For Clayton Hall and the rest of Clayton.
Cornbrook Altrincham Line/Zone 1 Manchester St George's 6 December 1999 1/2 1,289,000 Major interchange on the Metrolink network.
Crossacres Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 54,800 For Crossacres and Wythenshawe Fire Station.
Crumpsall Bury Line Manchester Crumpsall 6 April 1992 2 358,500 Serves Crumpsall.
Dane Road Altrincham Line Trafford Sale, Greater Manchester 15 June 1992 3 275,100 For Priory Gardens and parts of Sale.
Deansgate-Castlefield
(National Rail Deansgate)
Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 27 April 1992 1 2,506,400 For Great Northern Warehouse, Mamucium Roman Fort, Beetham Tower, and Deansgate Locks.

Formerly named G-Mex (1992–2010). A third platform was added in 2015.

Derker Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Derker 16 December 2012 3/4 265,900 Serves Derker in Oldham.
Didsbury Village South Manchester Line Manchester Didsbury 23 May 2013 3 542,400 For Didsbury Park.
Droylsden East Manchester Line Tameside Droylsden 8 February 2013 3 199,200 Serves parts of Droylsden and Audenshaw.

Former terminus of the East Manchester Line. (Feb-Oct 2013)

East Didsbury
(National Rail East Didsbury)
South Manchester Line Manchester Didsbury 23 May 2013 3 598,300 For East Didsbury railway station, and Parrs Wood bus station.

Terminus of the South Manchester Line.

Eccles
(National Rail Eccles)
Eccles Line Salford Eccles 21 July 2000 2 390,100 For Eccles Interchange.

Terminus of the Eccles Line.

Edge Lane East Manchester Line Tameside Droylsden 8 February 2013 2/3 198,000 Serves parts of East Manchester and Droylsden.
Etihad Campus East Manchester Line Manchester Etihad Campus 8 February 2013 2 326,400 For the Etihad Stadium and Sportcity.
Exchange Quay Eccles Line Salford Salford Quays 12 June 1999 2 798,821 For Exchange Quay and Ordsall.
Exchange Square Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 6 December 2015 1 1,611,500 For the Manchester Arndale.
Failsworth Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Failsworth 13 June 2012 3 242,100 Serves Failsworth and parts of New Moston.
Firswood South Manchester Line Trafford Firswood 7 July 2011 2 318,800 Serves parts of Old Trafford as well as Firswood.
Freehold Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Chadderton 13 June 2012 3 207,100 Serves Freehold, and parts of Chadderton and Werneth.
Harbour City Eccles Line Salford Salford Quays 12 June 1999 2 377,621 Serves Salford Quays, and MediaCityUK, along with Broadway and MediaCityUK tram stops.
Heaton Park Bury Line Bury Prestwich 6 April 1992 3 572,000 For Heaton Park and parts of Prestwich.
Hollinwood Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Hollinwood 13 June 2012 3 241,900 Serves parts of Failsworth, New Moston, and Whitegate.
Holt Town East Manchester Line Manchester Holt Town 8 February 2013 2 66,300 Serves Bradford (Manchester), and parts of Beswick.
Imperial War Museum Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park 22 March 2020 2 269,600 For the Imperial War Museum and Salford Quays.
Kingsway Business Park Oldham and Rochdale Line Rochdale Firgrove 28 February 2013 4 181,700 For Kingsway Business Park and Firgrove.
Ladywell Eccles Line Salford Ladywell 12 June 1999 2 254,121 Named after Ladywell Roundabout. Serves Canterbury Gardens and parts of Trafford Park.
Langworthy Eccles Line Salford Langworthy 12 June 1999 2 198,821 Serves Langworthy and parts of Seedley and Salford.
Manchester Airport
(National Rail Airport railway station
Airport interchange Manchester Airport)
Airport Line Manchester Ringway 3 November 2014 4 233,900 For Manchester Airport and its railway station. Terminus of the Airport Line.
Market Street Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 27 April 1992 1 1,668,500 For Manchester's main retail district, and the Manchester Arndale.
Martinscroft Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 96,700 Named after adjacent road. Serves parts of Baguley and Newall Green.
MediaCityUK Eccles Line (spur) Salford MediaCityUK 20 September 2010 2 936,021 For Salford Quays and MediaCityUK.
Milnrow Oldham and Rochdale Line Rochdale Milnrow 28 February 2013 4 235,800 Serves the village of Milnrow.
Monsall Oldham and Rochdale Line Manchester Monsall 13 June 2012 2 76,900 Serves Monsall.
Moor Road Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 3 136,600
Navigation Road Altrincham Line Trafford Altrincham 15 June 1992 4 520,300 Mainline trains run on adjacent platform.
New Islington Zone 1 Manchester New Islington 8 February 2013 1 560,500
Newbold Oldham and Rochdale Line Rochdale Newbold 28 February 2013 4 192,800
Newhey Oldham and Rochdale Line Rochdale Newhey 28 February 2013 4 122,200
Newton Heath and Moston Oldham and Rochdale Line Manchester Newton Heath 13 June 2012 2/3 193,300
Northern Moor Airport Line Manchester Northern Moor 3 November 2014 3 171,300
Old Trafford Altrincham Line Trafford Old Trafford 15 June 1992 2 958,200 For Old Trafford Cricket Ground
Oldham Central Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Oldham 27 January 2014 3 478,900
Oldham King Street Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Oldham 27 January 2014 3 252,600 For Oldham Sixth Form College
Oldham Mumps Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Oldham 27 January 2014 3 274,300
Parkway Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park 22 March 2020 2/3 102,100 Named after Parkway Circle.
Peel Hall Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 50,400
Piccadilly
(National Rail Piccadilly)
Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 20 July 1992 1 2,379,400 For National Rail and bus services.
Piccadilly Gardens Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 27 April 1992 1 2,618,900 For Piccadilly Gardens bus interchange.
Pomona Eccles Line Trafford Pomona Docks 12 June 1999 2 23,730 The least used Metrolink station.
Prestwich Bury Line Bury Prestwich 6 April 1992 3 735,400
Queens Road Bury Line Manchester Cheetham Hill 16 December 2013 2 142,300 For Queens Road depot (Metrolink).
Radcliffe Bury Line Bury Radcliffe 6 April 1992 4 573,300
Robinswood Road Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 28,700
Rochdale Railway Station
(National Rail Rochdale)
Oldham and Rochdale Line Rochdale Rochdale 28 February 2013 4 208,000 For Rochdale railway station
Rochdale Town Centre Oldham and Rochdale Line Rochdale Rochdale 31 March 2014 4 544,200 for Rochdale interchange and number one riverside. Terminus for the Oldham and Rochdale Line.
Roundthorn Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 3/4 235,500 For Roundthorn industrial estate and Wythenshawe Hospital.
Sale Altrincham Line Trafford Sale 15 June 1992 3 1,097,100
Sale Water Park Airport Line Trafford Sale Water Park 3 November 2014 3 138,300
Salford Quays Eccles Line Salford Salford Quays 12 June 1999 2 459,821 For Salford Quays.
Shadowmoss Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 76,400
Shaw and Crompton Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Shaw and Crompton 16 December 2012 4 497,200
Shudehill
(Shudehill Interchange)
Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 31 March 2003 1 710,000 For Printworks and Shudehill bus interchange.
South Chadderton Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Chadderton 13 June 2012 3 215,000
St Peter's Square Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 27 April 1992 1 4,930,000 Closed from 28 June 2015 – 28 August 2016 for re-development and was transformed into a four-platform interchange due to Phase 2CC.
St Werburgh's Road South Manchester Line Manchester Chorlton-cum-Hardy 7 July 2011 2/3 279,500 Place of interchange from East Didsbury to Manchester Airport. Former terminus of the South Manchester Line.
Stretford Altrincham Line Trafford Stretford 15 June 1992 2/3 775,500
The Trafford Centre Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park 22 March 2020 3 515,400 For The Trafford Centre and like named bus station.
Timperley Altrincham Line Trafford Timperley 15 June 1992 4 536,700
Trafford Bar Altrincham Line Trafford Old Trafford 15 June 1992 2 855,900
Velopark East Manchester Line Manchester Clayton 8 February 2013 2 212,700
Victoria
(National Rail Manchester Victoria)
Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 6 April 1992 1 1,855,500 Redeveloped from 2014-2015 with two extra platforms (4).
Village Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park 22 March 2020 2 62,600
Weaste Eccles Line Salford Weaste 12 June 1999 2 204,021
West Didsbury South Manchester Line Manchester Didsbury 23 May 2013 3 414,900
Westwood Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Oldham 27 January 2014 3 126,900 For Boundary Park
Wharfside Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park 22 March 2020 2 333,700 For Old Trafford
Whitefield Bury Line Bury Whitefield 6 April 1992 3/4 718,800
Withington South Manchester Line Manchester Withington 23 May 2013 3 183,900
Wythenshawe Park Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 3 159,800
Wythenshawe Town Centre Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe 3 November 2014 4 306,400 For the Wythenshawe bus interchange.

Former stops

Stop Photo Line(s)[*] Metropolitan borough District Closed Notes
High Street Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 10 August 1998 Closed in 1998 due to car traffic requirements on High Street
Mosley Street Zone 1 Manchester Manchester city centre 18 May 2013 Closed in 2013 due to insufficient capacity with the opening of new Metrolink lines. More services created a bottleneck and trams at this stop would frequently hold-up trams behind so the stop was removed.
Woodlands Road Altrincham-Bury Manchester Cheetham Hill 16 December 2013 Closed to make way for Queens Road (serving the depot), and Abraham Moss (serving the library and school). Originally a railway station, which was closed for Metrolink.

Fictional stops

Stop Photo Line(s)[*] Metropolitan borough District First seen Notes
Weatherfield North Eccles Salford Weatherfield 20 April 2018 A fictional tram stop introduced into the Granada Television soap opera Coronation Street in 2018. The set is located at the Coronation Street set in MediaCityUK[5]

Map

Future

Proposed

The proposed Manchester Airport High Speed station for the High Speed 2 extension to Manchester is expected to be connected to Manchester Airport by a newly constructed Wythenshawe Loop.[6]

Buckley Wells, Elton Reservoir and Sandhills have been proposed as additional stops on the Bury Line, as well as Cop Road on the Oldham and Rochdale Line.[7][8]

Stop[3] Line(s)[*] Metropolitan
borough
District Planned
opening
Notes
Buckley Wells Bury Line Bury Buckley Wells
Cop Road Oldham and Rochdale Line Oldham Moorside
Davenport Green Wythenshawe Loop Manchester Wythenshawe
Elton Reservoir Bury Line Bury Fishpool
Gorsey Bank Stockport Line Stockport Stockport
Heaton Mersey Stockport Line Heaton Mersey Stockport
Kings Reach Stockport Line Stockport Stockport
Manchester Airport High Speed Wythenshawe Loop Trafford Davenport Green
Newall Green Wythenshawe Loop Manchester Wythenshawe
Piccadilly Central TBD Manchester Piccadilly
Port Salford Trafford Park Line Salford Barton-upon-Irwell
Salford Reds Trafford Park Line Salford Barton-upon-Irwell
Sandhills Bury Line Manchester Collyhurst
Stockport Interchange Stockport Line Stockport Stockport
Trafford Quays Trafford Park Line Trafford Trafford Park
Wythenshawe Hospital Wythenshawe Loop Manchester Wythenshawe

Cancelled

Some stops were planned along new lines but were eventually dropped.

Stop[3] Line(s)[*] Metropolitan
borough
District Metrolink
Zone
Planned
opening
Notes
Drake Street Oldham-Rochdale Line Rochdale Rochdale
Hardy Farm Airport Line Manchester Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Haveley Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe
Hough End Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe
Woodhouse Park Airport Line Manchester Wythenshawe

Platforms

Metrolink tram stops have between one and four platforms, though most (91) have two platforms. Some are island platforms allowing easier transfers between services.

Platforms Stops
4 St Peter's Square,
Victoria
3 Crumpsall, Deansgate-Castlefield,
Shaw and Crompton
2 All other stops
1 Eccles,
Navigation Road,
Newton Heath and Moston

See also

References

  1. ^ Metrolink.co.uk. "Airport line". Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  2. ^ Guardian (2 November 2014). "Manchester Metrolink line opens more than a year ahead of schedule". TheGuardian.com. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Metrolink – Stop Information". Manchester Metrolink. TfGM. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Passenger numbers by Metrolink station". WhatDoTheyKnow. 2 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. ^ Bourne, Dianne (12 March 2018). "First look at Coronation Street's new street". men. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  6. ^ "Wythenshawe 'western loop' Metrolink tram line to be proposed". BBC News. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Metolink Network" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011.
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)