Serious questions over Metrolink's future as bosses warn Manchester 'is being held to ransom'
manchestereveningnews.co.ukAs the cost of living, fuel prices and the damage caused by air pollution spiral upwards, public transport needs now more than ever to be accessible, affordable and efficient for passengers.
Even before the pandemic, this was a refrain repeated often by leaders in Greater Manchester. But times have changed. During Covid lockdowns, passenger numbers plummeted, decimating revenue for trams and buses in Greater Manchester.
They were kept running thanks to a £278m bailout from the Government. Metrolink, which had not previously needed regular subsidy, received a recovery grant of £124m between March 2020 and April 2022, including an extra tranche of £20.5m to bolster the service until October. READ MORE: More than £1bn given to Greater Manchester to boost transport network Earlier this month, following an announcement from bus operators here that they intended to cut 33 non-profit making services and curtail 32 more, and amid similar warnings from across the country, the Government finally found an extra £130m to keep services running until March next year.
Although there will still be financial challenges as Mayor Andy Burnham forges ahead with plans to reform buses through a franchising system, the urgency has passed for now.
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