Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that work is continuing on a business case for a new Metrolink line to Heywood, despite no formal approval for the project.
Last year, Andy Burnham, then Greater Manchester mayor, said spades could be in the ground on the project by 2028. Now Prime Minister, Mr Burnham has been succeeded by Bev Craig, whose election manifesto mentioned tram network expansion to Stockport but omitted Heywood.
Oldham-Rochdale-Heywood-Bury Tram-Train pathfinder
The Heywood project falls under what TfGM calls the Oldham-Rochdale-Heywood-Bury Tram-Train pathfinder. The proposed line would connect Bury to Rochdale via Heywood, then loop back through Shaw towards Oldham.
If opened, the scheme would deliver two Metrolink firsts for Greater Manchester: the first ‘orbital’ Metrolink route, which does not go via the city centre, and the first ‘tram-train’, set to be rolled out across the city in coming years.
Tram-train technology and next steps
Tram-trains are fully electric, using overhead wires like trams for power on some sections of track and batteries on other stretches. The revamped Bury Interchange will be built to handle tram-trains, trams, and buses, according to a TfGM report.
The business case for Heywood is expected to be completed in 2026, Andy Burnham announced in August 2025. It formed part of the Greater Manchester Strategy put forward the previous month.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) mayor and local council leaders pledged for 90 per cent of people in the city-region to be within a five-minute walk of a bus or tram that comes at least every 30 minutes by 2030. The idea is to link every borough in Greater Manchester to the Metrolink network, with a long-term plan for major expansion of the Bee Network.
No confirmation on 2028 start
A spokesperson for TfGM said: “This is a large and complex scheme and work is still ongoing. There are several key next steps coming up – including timetable modelling with Network Rail, market engagement with vehicle manufacturers, and making space as part of the Bury Interchange Redevelopment for a future third platform.”
Currently there has been no suggestion that spades won’t be in the ground by 2028, as promised by Andy Burnham. But there hasn’t been any confirmation either.
