Metrolink bailout plan using Greater Manchester Combined Authority reserves revealed as emergency funding ends
Metrolink has unveiled plans to dip into cash reserves of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to help fund and secure its future, transport bosses have announced.
The move comes as TfGM revealed that despite plummeting passenger numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic, commuter levels over the weekend of the Parklife music festival this year are estimated to have been the highest in Metrolink's 30-year history. Patronage - the number of single journeys made on the network - continues to increase, said TfGM, but 'recovery remains well below pre-Covid levels'.
Now Transport for Greater Manchester has revealed that 'as a last resort, GMCA has sufficient reserves available to temporarily fund Metrolink's forecast net deficit for the remainder of 2022-3'. It's also been recommended that it continues in 2023-4. No actual costings have been revealed, but there's a warning that the reserves 'would subsequently need to be replenished'.
A report by Danny Vaughan, head of Metrolink at TfGM, considered at a meeting on Friday of the Metrolink and rail sub-committee of the Greater Manchester transport committee, says: "A package of funding support from central government has been agreed up to the beginning of October 2022. The Department for Transport /HM Treasury have indicated that no further recovery funding will be provided beyond this point.
Transport Commissioner, Vernon Everitt, said TfGM remains in 'continuous dialogue' with the Government about Metrolink funding and that they were grateful for cash already received. But the report reveals patronage 'has been steadily recovering' since Government restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic.
The figures, however, show that national events, holiday periods, rail strikes and engineering work - combined with this year's heatwaves which impacted overhead lines and led to temporary speed restrictions and some cancelled services - all hit passenger numbers.
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