Laing O’Rourke JV scoops £350m Metrolink Trafford extension

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has awarded the £350m Metrolink expansion to Trafford to Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales UK.

TfGM is set to enter into contracts with the M-Pact Thales (MPT) consortium and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff for the delivery and management of the scheme. The MPT joint venture will build the 5.5km extension to the tram, to run between the city centre and the Trafford Centre.

MPT has been working with TfGM since 2008, delivering four extensions to the tram system - the MediaCity line; the Airport line; the East Manchester and Ashton line; and the Oldham and Rochdale line. It is also currently working on the Metrolink’s second city crossing, which runs through St Peter’s Square in the city centre.

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.

The extension will include six new stations – Wharfside, Imperial War Museum, Village, Parkway Circle, EventCity and Trafford Centre, which will link Trafford Park to the existing Metrolink network at Pomona, between the city centre and Salford Quays.

The line will underpass the Trafford Road Bridge and run alongside the existing promenade next to Manchester Ship Canal, before joining Trafford Wharf Road. It will also cross the Bridgewater Canal before terminating outside the Trafford Centre.

The extension will increase the size of the Metrolink network to more than 66 miles and under the current plans the line should be operational by 2020/21.