Key Points
- Several Metrolink services across Greater Manchester will face disruption from this weekend because of network upgrades.
- No tram services will run between Victoria and Rochdale town centre from Saturday 16 to Friday 29 May.
- Trams to East Didsbury will start from Exchange Square during part of the works, with bus replacement services in place on affected sections.
- Further disruption is planned at Piccadilly Gardens from Monday, 25 to Friday, 29 May.
- The upgrade work is part of the wider £150 million programme to improve and maintain the Metrolink network.
- The works include track renewals and upgrades to older equipment dating back to the system’s original opening in 1992.
Manchester(Manchester Mirror)May 14, 2026: Metrolink passengers in Greater Manchester are being warned of two weeks of disruption as major network upgrade work gets underway across parts of the tram system. Several services will be affected from this weekend as Transport for Greater Manchester continues its wider improvement programme across the network.
According to the BBC’s report, the first period of disruption will run from Saturday 16 to Friday 29 May, with no trams operating between Victoria and Rochdale town centre while improvement work is carried out on the Oldham-Rochdale line. The works form part of a long-running investment programme aimed at improving reliability and resilience across the Metrolink network.
As reported by Rail Technology Magazine, the closure is needed so significant improvement work can take place on one of the network’s busiest corridors. The publication said the programme includes major track renewals and is intended to strengthen the system’s long-term performance.
During the same period, passengers travelling towards East Didsbury will see changes to the service pattern, with trams starting from Exchange Square and replacement buses running on sections affected by the engineering work. This means journeys on some routes will take longer and may require extra changes, depending on the destination.
A second phase of disruption is scheduled for Monday, 25 to Friday, 29 May at Piccadilly Gardens, where older equipment installed when the network first opened in 1992 is being replaced. During this phase, no trams will operate between St Peter’s Square/Market Street and Piccadilly, with alternative arrangements expected for passengers using central Manchester stops.
The BBC said the latest work is part of a broader £150 million improvement scheme intended to keep the Metrolink system running more reliably in the years ahead. Rail Technology Magazine also described the current phase as part of the next stage of that wider programme, which has already led to earlier service changes across the city region.
What do the works involve?
The current disruption centres on track renewal and infrastructure upgrades rather than a short-term service fault. That distinction matters because the closures are planned in advance and are meant to deliver long-term benefits to the network, even though they will cause short-term inconvenience for passengers.
The Oldham-Rochdale line is one of the busiest parts of Metrolink, according to Rail Technology Magazine, which said the work is designed to improve resilience on that corridor. At Piccadilly Gardens, the upgrade is focused on equipment that has been in place since the system opened, underlining the age of some of the infrastructure now being renewed.
Why are passengers being affected?
Passengers are being affected because the work requires sections of the tram network to be shut while engineers complete track and equipment replacement safely. That means some trams will terminate earlier than usual, while others will be diverted or replaced by bus services on selected routes.
The disruption is concentrated in two key windows in May, which suggests Transport for Greater Manchester is trying to limit the impact by sequencing the work rather than closing multiple central routes at once. Even so, regular commuters, event-goers and people making cross-city journeys are likely to face longer travel times and more changes than normal.
Background to the development
The current upgrade campaign sits within a £150 million Metrolink improvement programme that has been developing over time. BBC News reported last year that earlier works already led to major changes around Piccadilly Gardens, including a period when trams were unable to run through the area while tracks were replaced.
Transport for Greater Manchester has described the wider investment as essential maintenance and enhancement work to support the network through to 2027. Rail-industry reporting also indicates that further phases of the programme have been planned for 2026, with continued disruption expected at different points across the system as the upgrades progress.
Prediction for passengers
For regular Metrolink users, the most immediate effect will be longer and less direct journeys during the works, especially for people travelling between central Manchester and the affected northern and eastern routes. Passengers who depend on the tram for commuting, school runs, or appointments may need to allow extra time and check service changes before travelling.
For businesses and visitors in the city centre, the short-term impact is likely to be mixed, with access remaining possible but less convenient around affected stops such as Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly. In the longer term, if the upgrades are completed as planned, passengers should see a more reliable and resilient network, but the benefits will come only after several rounds of disruption.
