Railway closure advice

RAIL chiefs will be on hand at train stations along the soon-to-close Oldham loop-line from Monday to discuss new replacement bus services.

The line will shutdown on October 3 in readiness for the controversial conversion to Metrolink.

First Bus will provide a mixture of express and high-frequency services to reflect the kind of journeys currently made on the line.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) has also modified the routes it pays for to ensure that appropriate services are provided.

GMPTE staff will be on hand from 7-9am and 4.30-6.30pm to provide information to passengers and answer questions at the following stations:

Rochdale — Thursday, August 27.

Milnrow — Tuesday, September 1.

Oldham Werneth—– Wednesday, September 2.

Dean Lane — Thursday, September 3.

Derker — Monday, September 7.

Newhey — Tuesday, September 8.

Hollinwood — Wednesday, September 9.

Failsworth — Thursday, September 10.

Events have already been held at Manchester’s Victoria Station, Oldham Mumps and Shaw and Crompton.

Michael Renshaw, GMPTE’s interim bus and rail director, said: “I would encourage anyone who currently travels on the loop-line to go along to one of the drop-in events so we can help plan journeys on the alternative bus services.

“They will be running from Monday — a whole month in advance — so people can try them out well in advance of the heavy rail services finishing.”

Project

The new tram lines to Oldham and Rochdale are part of a £600 million expansion of the network, which will also take trams to East Manchester, Droylsden, Chorlton and Salford.

The two-and-a-half-year construction project will see trams running from the city centre to Oldham Mumps by autumn, 2011, and to Rochdale by spring, 2012.

Metrolink services will run between Shaw & Crompton and Manchester every six minutes and between Rochdale and Manchester every 12 minutes.

New Metrolink stops will be built at South Chadderton, Freehold, Newbold and outside Rochdale railway station on the Oldham and Rochdale line.

Rail services will run as normal on the Calder Valley line between Manchester, Rochdale and Leeds.