A campaign for late-night trams to carry revellers and hospitality workers home safely on the Altrincham tram line has been unanimously approved. Trafford council has followed the example of neighbouring Salford in its bid to get Metrolink services running beyond 11.55pm when the last tram is often choc-a-bloc with passengers.
The move has been welcomed across all parties on the Labour-controlled authority. It was put forward a full meeting of Trafford council by Timperley ward Liberal Democrat Coun Will Frass.
His motion said: “Trafford residents, either working in the hospitality sector or enjoying the night-time economy, face a curfew for the tram, expensive taxis, or a risky walk home in the dark. Tackling both violence and against women and girls and gender-based violence more widely are priorities for Greater Manchester Police across the region.”
READ MORE: Man burst into bathroom as woman desperately tried to call 999 for help in sickening attack
It pointed out that metro mayor Andy Burnham has announced his ambition to make the city’s tram network the ‘11th district’ in the conurbation for policing. “This means that a late-night tram service across Greater Manchester is increasingly becoming the best transport option to ensure thousands of people across the region can get home safely,” it added.
Addressing the meeting, Coun Frass said; “If levelling-up ever meant anything beyond a political slogan, then concrete steps like late-night transport must become a reality.It’s the norm in big cities around the world like Stockholm, Berlin and London which all have late-night transport. There is absolutely no reason why Greater Manchester should be any different.
“I’ve always believed that the most highly-developed economies in the world are not the ones where everyone owns a car.” His colleague Coun Meena Minnis said she had only ever taken the last tram home to her Timperley home when out with a friend or her husband.
“I’ve never done it alone,” she said. “Many people [on the last tram] have had a fair few drinks and there are groups of men on there. It’s not worth the risk of staying out for longer so I would therefore leave for home earlier.”
Green Party leader Coun Dan Jerrome cited the Salford campaign, saying there had been three weeks of cross-party engagement which resulted in further calls for connecting bus services as well as late trams to get people home who do not live near to line. This [cross-party cooperation] might’ve led to a stronger set of proposals,” he said.
He also pointed out that Metrolink services are fully funded by fares, whereas Transport for London services receive 30 per cent funding from the Government. “This isn’t mentioned in the motion, and it should be,” he said. “Funding is desperately needed from the Government.”
Conservative Coun Linda Blackburn said that passenger numbers on the Metrolink on weekdays were down 50pc on pre-Covid levels. “But there has been some encouraging growth at weekends,” she said. “However, a £14million shortfall for the Metrolink is expected.”
She said she supported more tram journeys but said they should be focused on early morning transport for workers who take shifts, for example at Manchester Airport.
Labour’s Stephen Adshead added: “You can’t have a 24-hour city without a 24-hour [transport] system.”
Council leader Tom Ross said he would be writing to Mr Burnham in support of the campaign and asked other members of the council to ‘feed in’ their views which would be sent off ‘in collaboration’ with other parties on the council.
READ NEXT:
- Face of Brit teen who carried out racist attack on Manchester memorial and whose far-right hate videos influenced deadly US mass shooter
- 'Ring me emergency...he's dead': Texts of alleged murderer after Thomas Campbell's death read out in court
- Teen killed in Reddish smash was riding on board stolen motorbike, police say
- Man arrested after poo smeared on windows of new £22m Gorton hub
- Cordon in place near row of shops with emergency services on scene
