£72m deal will boost capacity on Manchester's tram network

​Transport for Greater Manchester has signed a £72m contract with Bombardier and Kiepe Electric to build 27 new Metrolink trams.

The contract will increase capacity on the UK’s largest tram network by 15%, adding 4,800 extra passenger spaces, and enabling service providers to run more ‘double trams’ on the busiest lines.

The first of the new trams is expected to be operational in February 2020, with further units being rolled out each month until June 2021.

“Greater Manchester is growing,” said Mayor Andy Burnham. “That means more jobs, more people and more demand on our public transport networks, and these new trams will be a very welcome – and much-needed – addition to the Metrolink fleet.”

The new trams will be M5000s – the same model as the existing fleet. Each will have a capacity of 206 people and a maximum speed of 50mph. They are being funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which invests in England’s largest city regions.

“We are delighted to have been selected to provide a further fleet of Bombardier’s Flexity M5000 light rail vehicles to add to the 120 cars already in operation,” said Richard Hunter, managing director of Bombardier Transportation. “We are proud to support Andy Burnham’s aim of encouraging people across the city region to leave their cars at home.”

Burnham said the deal would mean "less congestion on our roads, less pollution in our air and a better quality of life for everyone. I cannot wait to see the first new trams put into action”.