Free bikes offered to commuters hit by tram disruption

Commuters in Greater Manchester who have been forced on to replacement buses during a major track overhaul have been offered up to 20 minutes of free travel on rental bikes.

The Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Centre Metrolink lines have been shut since 13 July for a £150m project to replace outdated track lines between Deansgate and Trafford Bar.

Lines to East Didsbury and Manchester Airport have also been affected, with passengers to the city centre facing major disruption until the scheme ends on 2 August.

Danny Vaughan, of Transport for Greater Manchester, said those affected could now make use of Starling Bikes every day for up to 20 minutes, and added "why not give active travel a go?"

He said "there's never a good time to close parts of the network" and admitted the track project replacement had caused "a big impact".

The pedal bikes are available to hire across the city, but have now been made available in Firswood, Chorlton and Salford Quays for 10 minutes free each way for an inbound and outbound journey, he said.

First introduced in 2021, they were re-branded as Starling Bank bikes in 2024.

Vaughan said the work at what has been described as one of the most used sections of tram track in the country, would help trams run safely at higher speeds while making the network more reliable in the future.

The closure of the lines has seen large numbers of commuters opt to take the train to the city centre, causing carriages to be packed at peak times.

Others have reported delays on replacement buses, which have been running between affected stops.

Manchester Day, Comic Con Manchester and The Hundred at Emirates Old Trafford are all taking place during the three-week closure period.

Vaughan, who is chief network officer at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: "We know that this vitally important work on the Metrolink will have a big impact on passengers and we apologise for the disruption.

"We're encouraging everyone to plan ahead by using the journey planner on the Bee Network app or website.

"We've got regular Bee Network buses that you can hop on for just £2 using Tap and Go as well as our replacement buses. We'd also like to encourage people to try walking, cycling and wheeling for part of their journey where possible."

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