Put a step in your spring

Flourishing flowers, warmer weather, lighter days and local landmarks are just some of the great reasons to lace up your walking boots for a new event this spring, say transport leaders.

From Friday 3 to Sunday 5 March, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will be holding its first ever Spring Walking Weekend, offering free guided walks in Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

The British springtime – often heralded for its beauty as the landscape begins to burst into colour – is the perfect time for people to get out and about to explore places right on their doorstep or new areas further afield.

The weekend will feature 30 fun and friendly guided walks, offering something for every age, interest and ability.

Walkers will be able to follow in the footsteps of the Roman legions, learn about the region’s rich industrial heritage and explore plantations, reservoirs, stately homes and even meet a wizard.

For full details please click here.

Metrolink Trafford Park Line update from TfGM

Dear Recipient,

As you may be aware, advance works have started on the much anticipated Metrolink Trafford Park Line. This new six stop route will offer fast, frequent connections to jobs, leisure, shopping and cultural destinations and across the wider tram network. For further information on the project please visit www.tfgm.com/MetrolinkTPL.

I am writing to inform you that as part of the advance works we are clearing trees and vegetation along the route to prepare the land for construction works. The work is now underway and will take place at various locations along the route over the next few months.

Please be assured that there will be an ecological check to all vegetation being cleared and Transport for Greater Manchester will be planting trees as part of the landscape strategy for the scheme, in discussion with Trafford Council.

In order to ensure these works are progressed safely and efficiently, localised traffic management measures will be in place along the route which may also result in isolated lane closures in areas. We will aim to reduce disruption where possible although road users may wish to allow extra time for their journey. Parking may be affected in certain locations such as Warren Bruce Road, Stadium Point and Hovis. Where parking is affected, advance notification will be given by means of notices on lampposts and leaflets on cars.

We will keep people informed through social media, issue out updates to the contacts that have registered via the project website www.tfgm.com/MetrolinkTPL and engage with businesses in the vicinity of the works.

Kind Regards,

Bethan Stanway
Communications Officer

Transport for Greater Manchester

2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG

www.tfgm.com

Keep up to speed with Metrolink developments, sign up to our e-newsletter here

For more information on how the network is developing, visit our new Transformation Information website here.

TfGM MediaCityUK Self-Led Walk

Did you know

Walking can help you reduce your stress levels, improve your mood and keep your bones
healthy and strong. For example, a 25 minute brisk walk every day can add up to seven
years on your life, and walking for just 20 minutes can burn off around 100 calories.

Transport for Greater Manchester is committed to promoting walking, encouraging people
of all age groups and fitness levels to getout and walk. Whether you are exploring your
local area, walking as part of your daily commute or taking in some fresh air during your
lunch break we are here to help!

This self-led walk is part of a wider series of walks in and around Greater Manchester.
For more information on the other walks in this series, or on how we can help you,
head to our walking pages www.tfgm.com/walking. 

Click here to access the TfGM MediaCityUK Self-Led Walk PDF Map.

TfGM Park and Ride car parks across the network

Park and Ride

With plenty of Metrolink Park & Ride car parks across the network, it’s easy to park up and hop on the tram for a hassle free journey in and around Greater Manchester.

Parking at tram stops is FREE for our Metrolink customers, the only cost is the tram fare. It’s likely the cost of your ticket will be less than your normal parking charges too!

Metrolink Park and Ride facilities are only available to Metrolink customers during the hours of service. For more information on tram times, please click here.

Weekend overnight Parking

Ordinarily overnight parking is not permitted at Metrolink Park & Ride sites. However, at certain stops, overnight parking is permitted on Friday and Saturday nights.

Customers must collect their car before 12 noon the following day.

The Park & Ride sites where overnight parking is permitted are: Brooklands, Stretford, Navigation Road, Bury, Crumpsall, Prestwich, Radcliffe, Whitefield, East Didsbury, Ladywell, Hollinwood, Oldham Mumps, Rochdale Rail Station, Derker and Shaw and Crompton stops. These are shown on the map below.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact customer services on 0161 205 2000.

Full terms and conditions for the overnight parking trial can be found here.

The interactive Metrolink location map can be found here.

TfGM Personal Travel Planning for Businesses

What is Personal Travel Planning? (PTP)

•       Method of encouraging people to make more sustainable travel choices.

•       Reduce reliance on private car and encourage more trips by public transport, on foot and by bike.

•       Focus on commuter trips in peak periods.

•       Employees offered personalised travel information to raise awareness of alternatives and benefits, as well as incentives for more active and sustainable travel.

•       Post intervention travel patterns are re-evaluated to identify any changes in behaviour.

Benefits of PTP

Business:

•       Reduce demand for parking spaces.

•       Reduced travel costs for employers.

•       Healthier, more active workforce.

•       Meet planning requirements e.g. Travel Plans

•       CSR and environmental goals. 

•       Assist with recruitment and retention.

Employees:

•       Cost savings.

•       Time savings.

•       Improved health.

What has been delivered in GM?

•       Worked with over 200 employers providing travel advice to over 20,000 employees.

•       Issued over 4,500 one day bus tickets and over 1,000 Metrolink tickets to employees who were car drivers.

The PTP Process

New Limited Offer - Electronic PTP (ePTP)

•       Online Travel Survey.

•       Personal journey plan including travel factsheet and incentives/discounts is emailed directly to employees.

•       No printed materials.

•       No internal distribution of travel packs required.

•       Quicker, greener and more cost effective.

Next Steps – How to get involved

•       Personal Travel Planning – Currently available up to 31st March 2017. 

•       Contact your TfGM Business Travel Advisor or lucy.low@aecom.com / 0161 601 1723.

Trafford Park Metrolink Line Public Events

As you may be aware Greater Manchester’s Metrolink network is now set to expand further after the plans for the Trafford Park Line (TPL) were approved in October 2016.

This new route will offer fast, frequent connections to jobs, leisure, shopping and cultural destinations along the route and across the wider tram network. The 5.5km long route includes six new tram stops and leaves the existing network at Pomona, passes under Trafford Road bridge and runs along the canal side before traversing Trafford Wharf Road, Warren Bruce Road, Village Way, Park Way, Barton Dock Road and terminating at the Trafford Centre. Works on this new extension will start this Year and we anticipate that they will last approximately four years.

Preliminary construction and utility works are due to start next week and as part of these works there will be isolated localised traffic management along the route which may also result in isolated lane closures.

TfGM will be running a number of public events along the proposed route week commencing 9th January 2017, where the project team will be on hand to answer questions and provide more information.

Details of information events:

TfGM will provide project updates, travel advice and news updates through an electronic newsletter. To sign up for these please visit www.tfgm.com/MetrolinkTPL. To find updates through social media look for #MetrolinkTPL.

Your help in communicating this information would be greatly appreciated and so I have attached some assets and a schedule of Tweets, in addition to project leaflet and maps which can be printed or uploaded digitally.

TfGM will continue to work closely with Trafford Council, engage with stakeholders along the route and will provide more information as we progress with the scheme. However, if you feel you or your business would benefit from a meeting or information event, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team at MetrolinkTPL@tfgm.com or call us on 0161 244 1555 (lines open during office hours).

Yours faithfully,

Bethan Stanway

Trafford Park Line Communications Officer

Transport for Greater Manchester