Late night trams set to run so bar workers and revellers can get home safe

A campaign for trams to run until late at night on the Altrincham line has been unanimously approved by Trafford Council, following the example of neighbouring Greater Manchester borough, Salford. 

The move, put forward by Timperley ward Liberal Democrat councillor Will Frass, has been welcomed across all parties on the Labour-controlled authority. Trafford Council has requested that trams run beyond 11.55pm on the Altrincham to Bury line to carry both hospitality workers and revellers home.

The motion said: “Trafford residents, either working in the hospitality sector or enjoying the night-time economy, face a curfew for the tram, expensive taxis, or a risky walk home in the dark. Tackling both violence and against women and girls and gender-based violence more widely are priorities for Greater Manchester Police across the region.”

Addressing the meeting, Councillor Frass said: “If levelling-up ever meant anything beyond a political slogan, then concrete steps like late-night transport must become a reality.

“It’s the norm in big cities around the world like Stockholm, Berlin and London which all have late-night transport. There is absolutely no reason why Greater Manchester should be any different.”

His colleague Councillor Meena Minnis added that she had only ever taken the last tram home to her Timperley home when out with a friend or her husband, saying: “I’ve always believed that the most highly-developed economies in the world are not the ones where everyone owns a car.

“I’ve never done it alone. Many people have had a fair few drinks and there are groups of men on there. It’s not worth the risk of staying out for longer so I would therefore leave for home earlier.”

It highlighted what metro mayor Andy Burnham announced as his ambition to make the city’s tram network the ‘11th district’ in the conurbation for policing. The motion continued: “This means that a late-night tram service across Greater Manchester is increasingly becoming the best transport option to ensure thousands of people across the region can get home safely.”

Council leader Tom Ross said he would be writing to Mr Burnham in support of the campaign and asked other members of the council to ‘feed in’ their views which would be sent off ‘in collaboration’ with other parties on the council.

Trafford Council also ask Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to run a three month trial of the night tram to monitor its success. If a trial is granted, the council would aim to work in close partnership with British Transport Police to ensure that resourcing is in place to keep a late night service safe for all users, with an emphasis to preventing gender based violence.