Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing opens

Manchester’s Second City Crossing opened to passengers yesterday (February 26).

The 0.8-mile route runs from the Deansgate-Castlefield stop to a new stop at St Peter’s Square, along Cross Street to stops at Exchange Square and Victoria.

This completes Metrolink’s £1.5 billion ‘Big Bang’ expansion that began in December 2009 with work on the East Didsbury line.

Chairman of the TfGM Committee, Andrew Fender, said: “Having chaired a strategy group from 1982, which developed the Metrolink concept, I am extremely proud - 35 years later - to see the completion of the Second City Crossing, and with it our phenomenal and multi-award-winning ‘Phase 3’ expansion programme.

The first phase of 2CC opened in December 2015 from Victoria to Exchange Square.

The contract was delivered by MPT (a consortium of VolkerRail, Laing O’Rourke and Thales).