Metrolink users can look forward to a fare freeze that will continue until the end of August 2015 due to ‘major transformation’ to the network.
With work at the Victoria and Deansgate-Castlefield stops and the Second City Crossing (2CC) tramline being built through the city centre, Greater Manchester council leaders and transport bosses have implemented a fare freeze as a thank you to passengers’ patience.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) runs travel and transport across Greater Manchester and reviews all fares each year.
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “A substantial amount of improvement work has already been carried out across the Metrolink network and we would like to thank our customers for their patience while these works have taken place.
“This transformation is, however, on-going and while these works will deliver significant long-term benefits for all Metrolink users and the wider city region, we do recognise that they can cause short-term disruption for some passengers.
“In response to this we have taken the decision to freeze fares for as long as possible, which means there will be no price rises on paper products until August next year and no price rises through to 2016 for those people who adopt get me there once it becomes available.”
The fare freeze will remain in place until 2016 for customers using the new Get Me There smart tickets, a touch sensitive enabled device that checks if passengers hold a valid travel card or have enough ‘pay as you go’ credit in their account to travel.
With work at the Victoria and Deansgate-Castlefield stops and the Second City Crossing (2CC) tramline being built through the city centre, the council thought the fare freeze was a reasonable decision.
When improvements to the Deansgate-Castlefield stop finish next summer, there will be a new four platform tram stop built on St Peter’s Square, near Mosley Street.
A new Metrolink stop is also being created in Exchange square as part of the 2CC programme.
For information and regular updates on the transformational 2CC programme, visitwww.transformationinformation.co.uk.
Visit www.getmethere.com for more information on Greater Manchester’s smart ticketing system.
Image courtesy of Stuart Grout, with thanks.
