Piccadilly and Ashton line works

Friday 5 to Sunday 7 September

map 2

From Friday 5 to Sunday 7 September, sections of tram track on the Ashton line and near Piccadilly Station will undergo essential maintenance.

During this time, no trams will operate between Piccadilly Gardens and Ashton-under-Lyne.

A replacement bus service will operate between the affected stops.

Frequent Bee Network bus services also call at the bus stops near each tram stop. These may provide a faster or cheaper journey option than the replacement bus, depending on your destination.

See here for live bus departure information.

Please note: Tram tickets are only accepted on the replacement bus and will not be accepted on numbered bus services.

Tram services will resume from start of service on Monday 8 September.

Friday 5 and Saturday 6 September

Services will operate every 12 minutes:

Bury – Altrincham
Bury – Altrincham (peak-time only)
Piccadilly Gardens - Eccles (via MediaCityUK)
Rochdale Town Centre – East Didsbury (via Exchange Square)
Shaw & Crompton – East Didsbury (via Exchange Square/peak-time only)
Manchester Airport – Victoria
Trafford Centre – Deansgate-Castlefield

Sunday 7 September

Services will operate every 15 minutes:

Bury – Altrincham
Piccadilly Gardens - Eccles (via MediaCityUK)
Rochdale Town Centre – East Didsbury (via Exchange Square)
Manchester Airport – Victoria
Trafford Centre – Deansgate-Castlefield

On Sunday, the Altrincham 10K and Bury 10K will return to their respective town centres. To support both events, more double trams will operate on the Bury - Altrincham line.

Replacement bus times will be added in due course.

We’re replacing sections of tram track across the Bee Network, investing nearly £150m to maintain, upgrade and improve the Metrolink network through to 2027.

It’s part of a coordinated long-term plan to make sure you can get around on safe, reliable and accessible services across the tram network into the future.

Earlier this year we successfully delivered track renewals near Piccadilly Gardens (2 June-10 August) and worked with the Metrolink operator to keep trams running from Piccadilly to Ashton throughout the closure.

We are now working on different sections of track that are reaching the end of their working life near Piccadilly Station and elsewhere on the Ashton line.

This means we need to close the Ashton line and Piccadilly tram stop, but replacement buses will be available keep you moving as smoothly as possible during the works.

We’re doing everything we can to minimise disruption by avoiding the busiest times on the network and completing multiple maintenance projects together (where possible).

Thanks for bearing with us as we improve your Bee Network.