Improving public transport still a priority

Posted By: Alan Taylor
Date Posted: 13/02/2009

After the referendum, public transport needs to stay near the top of our agenda.

The Government have still got nearly £2000Million of the TIF money now unspent. In addition to that, they tell us they want to spend on major public works to lessen the impact of the recession.

The Leaders of the Councils across Greater Manchester (AGMA) are working together to get as much transport money as possible. We have shown Government that we want world class public transport, and we were the only area in the country to put in a serious detailed bid for the transport innovation funding. Government recognised that by offering us more than we asked for in our bid.

Rochdale Council will be pressing for the suggested interchange at Rochdale Station, park and ride facilities and the remodelling of Rochdale Station ready for the longer new type of train in the future, and hopefully then for the rebuild of stations at Littleborough, Smithybridge, Castleton and Mills Hill, to take those trains.

We also see that the finishing of the Metrolink line into Rochdale Town Centre will give us a modern transport system, which will draw extra investment into Rochdale Town Centre and Drake Street.

Metrolink has brought prosperity in its wake. You only have to look at the prosperity Bury and Altringham have enjoyed over the last 15 years to realise the positive effect on regeneration that the metrolink provides.

Metrolink doesn’t stop at Victoria Station, but provides a direct route to other areas of Manchester, it will run on a double track and have a tram every 12 minutes in each direction. When metrolink starts running in the spring of 2012, you will simply turn up at the stop and buy a ticket knowing that a tram will be around in only a few minutes.

Trams offer a genuine attractive alternative to the car, they can carry 3,500 passengers an hour. That would take 40 single or 33 double decker buses to match that.

Metrolink is special because of its popularity with the public – people see its development as a sure sign that ‘an area is on the up’. I know that Metrolink delivered into the heart of Rochdale’s Town Centre will make a massive difference, not just in terms of improving public transport, but also in terms of regeneration.

I remain committed to the extension of Metrolink, not only to our train station, but also to our town centre, and I will continue to be working hard to make this a reality.