Laing O’Rourke jv wins £350m Metrolink Trafford extension

Transport for Greater Manchester is set to award the £350m next phase of the Metrolink expansion to Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales UK.

The new 5.5km Metrolink Trafford Park line will go from Pomona to Trafford Park via the Imperial War Museum.

Laing O’Rourke and VolkerRail will be responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of the civil engineering and track, while Thales will deliver the tram operating systems.

Preliminary utility diversions by Electricity North West will start next week allowing the joint venture to start work in late January.

The Trafford Park line will call at six new tram stops – Wharfside, Imperial War Museum, Village, Parkway, EventCity and the Trafford Centre.

The route then continues on a segregated section on the existing highway network along Trafford Wharf Road, Warren Bruce Road and Village Way before joining Barton Dock Road, again as a segregated tramway, to the Trafford Centre.

The extension will increase the size of the Metrolink network to more than 106.5km (66 miles).

Aaron Morby - Construction Enquirer