Our work has supported the safe and efficient expansion of Manchester Metrolink into the United Kingdom’s largest Light Rail Transit (LRT) network. Discover how.
Over the past 25 years, we have played an integral role in the expansion of Manchester Metrolink, a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in northern England. Our work has facilitated the system’s growth into the largest LRT network in the United Kingdom (U.K.), comprising eight lines, 65 miles of track and 99 tram stops.
Today, Metrolink forms a core foundation of Greater Manchester’s Bee Network – an integrated transport system bringing together tram, bus, rail, walking and cycling networks under a single, joined-up vision for sustainable travel.
We were responsible for multidisciplinary design of Phase Three, and later the Trafford Park Line extension, supporting long-term collaboration across the full project lifecycle from concept through to delivery and ongoing improvements.
Substantial network expansion
Our participation in Manchester Metrolink began in 2008 with Phase Three of the network’s expansion – dubbed ‘The Big Bang’ for the substantial growth that it brought to the system. Phase Three added 40 miles of new LRT routes and 55 new stops. Completed in 2016, this phase introduced new lines serving Oldham and Rochdale, Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury, Manchester Airport and MediaCity:UK, home to the BBC.
We provided track, highways, stop, geotechnical, civils, drainage and bridge designs for several operating environments including on-street and fully segregated sections. We also designed the upgrade of the existing Oldham Loop heavy rail line to convert it to LRT.
Connecting Greater Manchester to key destinations
The Trafford Park Line (TPL) is a four-mile extension with six additional stops, linking into the existing Eccles Line and running through a mix of dedicated tram corridors and on-street sections. It provides a sustainable transport link to key destinations including the Imperial War Museum North, Old Trafford Stadium, the Trafford Centre and Trafford Park – Europe’s largest industrial estate.
A defining feature of the TPL was its focus on integrating active travel with public transport, with more time spent designing for walking and cycling than any other element of the scheme.
Our work on the TPL spanned 2014 to 2020 and included the preliminary and for construction designs, alongside continued design input for third-party works and structures. We also provided information management and site engineering support throughout the construction process.
A collaborative design and build approach
Working directly for the MPT contractor consortium (Laing O’Rourke, Thales and VolkerRail), we adopted a collaborative design and build approach that strengthened coordination between disciplines, aligned design with construction and reduced delivery risk.
Construction involved complex multidisciplinary works and the need to minimise disruption to businesses, requiring an even greater level of coordination between design and construction than previous extensions. We spearheaded the reconfiguration of 14 signal-controlled junctions and the comprehensive redesign of public highways. This helped to create a safe and efficient environment for all road users – particularly pedestrians and cyclists.
Altogether, our teams spent 500,000 hours of effort producing over 12,000 2D and 3D design deliverables for the TPL. This work was coordinated between 16 disciplines and 18 AECOM offices, demonstrating our ability to organise complex, multidisciplinary projects at scale.
We pushed the boundaries and challenged ourselves and our colleagues not to just accept what we had done in the past. We stuck to this approach even when it was not easy, and that perseverance paid off in making TPL a success on all fronts.
Design Delivery Manager, Laing O’Rourke
Advancing active travel integration
The TPL marked an important step in how active travel was considered within light rail schemes in Greater Manchester. Integrating walking and cycling infrastructure was a central part of the design approach, reflecting the need to accommodate multiple transport modes within constrained urban environments. This required careful coordination of tram operations with pedestrian and cycle movements, particularly at complex junctions where multiple modes intersect.
While the scheme successfully delivered safe and effective integration, it also highlighted the importance of considering active travel as a network‑wide system rather than a series of local interventions. As standards and expectations have evolved, Greater Manchester has continued to build on this foundation to deliver more advanced and coordinated active travel networks.
Delivering award-winning work ahead of schedule
The TPL also required a different approach to design and construction coordination compared to earlier Metrolink phases, building on lessons learned, and supporting more integrated delivery.
To support this, we developed a full 3D federated Building Information Modelling (BIM) model for the TPL, which was accessible to all key stakeholders and enabled effective coordination across disciplines. As a result of our emphasis on efficient workflows, the TPL was completed seven months ahead of schedule, with services beginning in March 2020.
This accelerated programme reduced time on site and associated costs, while improved coordination helped minimise technical queries during construction, supporting more efficient delivery.
The TPL has received multiple awards, reflecting the achievements of the wider project team. These include the 2017 Building Awards – BIM Initiative of the Year and the UK Tram Global Light Rail Awards 2017 – Technical Innovation Award for the BIM model, as well as the ICE North West Large Project of the Year Award in 2021.
The design team adopted Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA), an engineering-led approach to construction used during earlier stages of Metrolink. This approach enabled components to be fabricated off-site and installed efficiently on-site, reducing tram stop platform installation times from up to six weeks to just three days.
In addition to accelerated timelines, our use of DfMA improved quality control and reduced waste due to the fabrication of materials under controlled factory conditions. It also limited the need for construction and manpower on-site – minimising disruption to local communities and improving safety during delivery.
A defining feature of the TPL was its focus on integrating active travel with public transport, with more time spent designing for walking and cycling than any other element of the scheme.
Our future with Manchester Metrolink
Following the completion of the TPL, we continue our involvement in asset renewals and the development of business cases for future Metrolink extensions.
In December 2024, we were appointed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) as their Business Case Partner for future extensions and new stops across the Rapid Transit network.
Our work to date has included development of the Strategic Outline Case for the extension of Metrolink from East Didsbury to Stockport (a top Mayoral priority), and we are currently progressing development of the Outline Business Case for a new Metrolink stop at the Victoria North development.
We have also prepared the Programme Business Case for a package of improvements to existing stops across the Metrolink network, including upgrades to stop facilities, renewals and accessibility improvements.
We have proven ourselves to be a trusted design partner, providing works ranging from structural inspections and refurbishments to highway, traffic, civil and systems engineering, and the preparation of environmental management plans.
Our involvement with Manchester Metrolink from 2008 until today underscores our strong track record of forming long-lasting collaborations with clients and contractors. Furthermore, this work highlights our multidisciplinary capability of delivering challenging LRT operations and infrastructure throughout the project lifecycle.
As Greater Manchester continues to deliver the Bee Network, Metrolink plays a central role as the rapid transit backbone of an integrated transport system that brings together tram, bus, rail, walking and cycling networks.
Alongside our long‑standing role on Metrolink, we are also involved in the development of other key transport programmes across Greater Manchester, including elements of the Bus and Streets for All Programme, supporting the creation of safer, more accessible and better‑integrated streets and services.