Metro to bring park-and-ride places

HOLLINWOOD and Derker will get new park-and-ride sites as part of the Metrolink expansion programme.

Work will start early next year to extend the tram lines to Oldham, Rochdale, Droylsden and Chorlton.

Improvements will also be made to the car park at Shaw and Crompton and other stops on the Oldham and Rochdale line taking the number of spaces to more than 250.

Councillor Richard Knowles, chairman of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority’s development and operations committee, said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to use the new Metrolink services, and one way of achieving this is by providing extra parking.

“Hollinwood’s Metrolink stop will be close to junction 22 of the M60 so it makes sense to have a large car park there.

“It should help to reduce the amount of traffic on the A62, and encourage more people to use public transport.

“The new car park at Derker will make Metrolink accessible to motorists living in East Oldham, Springhead and Royton.”

Proposals for extra park-and- ride sites on the Oldham and Rochdale Metrolink line have also been included in the controversial Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) package. More than 200 additional spaces would be provided at Shaw and Crompton along with 300 at Rochdale.

The Metrolink network would also be extended to Ashton, East Didsbury, Manchester Airport and Oldham and Rochdale town centres and funding has been earmarked to build a line to Trafford Park and the Trafford Centre.

However, the TIF package is dependent upon motorists being charged to drive into central Manchester, something opponents of the scheme see as a stealth tax, especially as spiralling fuel prices have already cut traffic.

The public will have the final say in a referendum to be held in December.