Salford

How the public transport investment would affect Salford

Major improvements for Salford Crescent station including two additional platforms, improved facility for bus connection and a bus link to Salford Quays.

As well as improved rail facilities, Salford would also have access to an expanded Metrolink network and improved bus services.

A £20 million contribution from TIF and a further £12 million from re-allocated Local Transport Plan Funds would be made available to redevelop Salford Crescent station, which would provide additional and longer platforms, and increased capacity with improved interchange to bus services.

A bus station would be built next to Salford Central station enabling easy interchange between rail and bus.

Links: Rail | Metrolink | Bus | Park and Ride | Cycling | Improvements for Passengers

Rail Improvements

Walkden, Irlam and Eccles stations would also be improved. There would be extra seats on commuter trains running through Salford.

There would be additional rail carriages for services across Greater Manchester with capacity for an additional 2,950 passengers in the three hour morning peak period. This is as well as the additional capacity for 4,100 passengers in the three hour morning peak, which would be funded by the Government without TIF.

Metrolink

Metrolink would be extended to Manchester Airport, East Didsbury, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Rochdale and Oldham town centres, and funding has been earmarked for a line to Trafford Park and the Trafford Centre.

TIF would also see the delivery of 62 new trams and 41 new stops, increasing capacity by 30,000 during each of the morning and evening peak periods. Current plans are for a stop at the Imperial War Museum across the footbridge from The Lowry.

Bus improvements

There would be a 10% increase in bus services across Greater Manchester with more services starting earlier and finishing later.

Examples of proposed changes to buses in Salford district include:

• The Leigh – Salford – Manchester, Wigan – Atherton – Salford – Manchester and Bolton – Salford – Manchester rapid bus services would run through the city into Manchester, via the East Lancashire Road and Salford University, connecting at the remodelled Salford Crescent rail station
• These services will run across Manchester city centre to the Higher Education Precinct, Manchester Royal Infirmary and the new Manchester Children’s Hospital improving access from the West.
• A new service would provide a frequent link between the rebuilt Salford Crescent station, Salford Shopping City and MediaCityUK in Salford Quays, continuing into Trafford Park.
• A second new service from Eccles will link MediaCityUK and Salford Quays with Manchester city centre via Middlewood Locks.
• A new service for through journeys between Little Hulton, Walkden, Worsley and Monton to Trafford Park and the Trafford Centre.
• The Bolton – Swinton – Eccles – Trafford Park – Stockport service will be increased to operate every 20 minutes in the daytime.

There would also be improved links to Salford Royal Hospital from Eccles and Pendleton (Salford Shopping City).
There will also be additional orbital bus routes connecting areas outside the city centre with services every 20 minutes during the week and every 30 minutes at evenings and weekends.

180 Yellow School Buses would be introduced across Greater Manchester providing customised services to schools, with seats allocated to pupils and drivers dedicated to the service.

Park and Ride

The TIF proposals would double the existing number of Park and Ride spaces serving Greater Manchester. Money has already been dedicated to this and positive feedback in the recent consultations has resulted in additional funds being set aside in re-allocated Local Transport Plan budgets for further sites across the region – funds that might have been invested elsewhere without TIF.

Park and Ride facilities might be expanded in Salford to link in with the Leigh – Salford – Manchester rapid bus transit proposals with spaces on the A580.

Cycling

Improvements for cyclists with 125 miles of cycle routes and cycle parking across Greater Manchester and cycle hire schemes in Manchester and Stockport. Cycle routes planned for Salford include:

• A6 Salford to Swinton between Walkden, Salford University and Manchester city centre
• Walkden/Eccles routes between Walkden and Boothstown to Worsley and Eccles
• the A56 Bury New Road corridor between Whitefield through Salford to Manchester city centre
• various routes between Irlam, Salford Quays and Manchester city centre.
• improved secure cycle parking would be provided at Salford Shopping City, and Eccles and Swinton shopping centres.

Improvements for passengers

Further passenger improvements would include:

• a 20% reduction on public transport fares at peak times for low paid workers (statutory minimum wage)
• better and more timely travel information via real-time electronic displays and improved safety and security with CCTV, help points and better lighting at stops and stations
• an integrated ticketing and simplified fare structure using a new ‘Smartcard ticket’ would allow prepayment of fares for travel on trains,
  trams and buses

80% of the public transport improvements would be in place across Greater Manchester with a significant improvement in public transport in Salford, before the peak-time congestion charge would begin in summer 2013.