Tram bosses to investigate cold weather procedures

METROLINK is reviewing procedures after trams from Shaw to Manchester were suspended yesterday due to “icy conditions” — despite temperatures being above freezing.

Rush hour commuters were furious about delays of more than an hour when the line was closed between 7am-8.15am..

Chronicle weatherman Damian Rodgers recorded temperatures of around 3 degrees C, but Metrolink bosses said small pockets along the line recorded lower temperatures.

A spokesman for the operators said: “We have a procedure to deal with adverse weather, including icy and cold conditions. If temperatures fall below zero we send out trams as ice breakers, to clear the overhead lines during the night before passenger services start.

“We are given 24 hours’ notice of conditions by a system that determines the action we take for the following day. (In this case) there was no indication temperatures would be below zero.

“In light of the disruption we are reviewing our adverse-weather procedure - with a specific focus on the Oldham line.”