The East Manchester Line runs on a mixture of reserved tracks and on-street sections with other traffic. Between Piccadilly and Clayton Hall stop, the line runs mostly along a reserved trackbed, it then runs on-street from Clayton Hall to Audenshaw, before running on a reserved route to Ashton. From Piccadilly station, the line runs east, emerging from the station's undercroft, passing the reversing sidings, where trams terminating at Piccadilly reverse. Between Piccadilly and the first stop, the line runs on a reserved trackbed, running under a purpose built underpass under Great Ancoats Street. After New Islington, the line runs along Merrill Street with other traffic for 250 metres to stop which is also off street. The line then runs along a reserved track along the valley of the River Medlock before serving two sporting venues; stop alongside City of Manchester Stadium, the home of Manchester City FC, and then, after running through a short tunnel under Alan Turing Way; stop, which serves the Manchester Velodrome. The line then crosses Ashton New Road, and after a short reserved track section, it serves stop. The line then crosses onto Ashton New Road, which it shares with other traffic for the next few miles, serving stops at,, and. After this the line crosses onto a reserved track section, which runs alongside, and then in the central reservation of, Lord Sheldon Way – the Ashton Northern Bypass for the run into Ashton – serving stops at and. It then runs into Ashton town centre on a reserved track alongside the road, crossing several roads before reaching the terminus at stop, which is located next to Ashton-under-Lyne bus station, and a short walk from Ashton-under-Lyne railway station.
Route map
History
The route was constructed as part of the third phase of the Metrolink expansion, which included new lines to Ashton, East Didsbury, Manchester Airport and Oldham and Rochdale. The line was opened in two phases; the 3.9 mile section from Piccadilly to Droylsden was opened for a three-day free trial for local residents on 8 February 2013, it then opened to the general public on 11 February 2013. The second phase; the 2.1 miles from Droylsden to Ashton-under-Lyne, was opened on 9 October 2013.
Metropolitan Borough Council have stated their aspiration for the East Manchester Line to be extended from Ashton-under-Lyne to Stalybridge. In 2019 the Greater Manchester Combined Authority confirmed that the Stalybridge extension was being considered as part of their transport strategy through to 2040.
Services
As of January 2019:
During all operating hours a service from runs at 12-minute intervals to via Manchester city centre. This service additionally stops at during evenings and Sundays.
Between 07:15–19:30 on weekdays and 09:30–18:00 on Saturdays a second 12-minute frequency service runs from Ashton and terminates at Media City UK.
This means that there is a combined frequency of 6 minutes between Ashton-under-Lyne and for most of the day.
