At a meeting of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), council leaders gave the green light for TfGM to continue the contracts with MPact Thales, various utilities and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff for the delivery and management of the scheme to design and construct the line.

MPT is a consortium of VolkerRail, Laing O’Rourke and Thales. VolkerRail and Laing O’Rourke will continue to be responsible for the design and construction of the civil engineering and track, while Thales will deliver the tram operating systems and WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff will continue as TfGM’s Delivery Partner.

This partnership has already successfully delivered extensions to MediaCityUK, Manchester Airport, Ashton, East Didsbury, Oldham and Rochdale and is currently putting the finishing touches to the Second City Crossing.

Trafford Park itself is the largest major employment zone in Greater Manchester outside the city centre and is home to over 1,300 businesses and more than 35,000 jobs – with employees travelling from across Greater Manchester and further afield.

The new 3.4mile (5.5km) Trafford Park line, which will increase the size of the Metrolink network to more than 64 miles (103km) served by 99 stops, will branch off from the existing Pomona stop and call at six new tram stops at key destinations, including Wharfside, near to Old Trafford football stadium, the Imperial War Museum, key business areas through Europe’s largest industrial estate and to visitor destinations such as Eventcity and the intu Trafford Centre.

TfGM’s Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing, said: “Together we have developed a tried and tested approach to delivering our award winning expansion programme.

“We have achieved a phenomenal amount since 2008 with bigger and better things still to come so I’m pleased our award winning partnership will continue with the expansion of the Trafford Park line.”

Bryan Glass, MPT’s joint venture board director, said: “The Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales MPT consortium has successfully delivered three main contract extensions for Manchester Metrolink with the team on schedule to complete the Second City Crossing early next year.

“We are therefore delighted that TfGM has appointed us as a trusted partner to deliver the latest phase of the Metrolink’s growth taking the line through Trafford Park to the Trafford Centre.”