Rochdale Metrolink line hit by fresh round of bus replacements amid £150m upgrade

An alert from Transport for Greater Manchester flagging "major disruption" to the Rochdale line has triggered this report. The material available does not give the exact new dates or scope of the current change, but it sits within a pattern of works TfGM has been carrying out across the Metrolink network as part of a £150m upgrade programme, according to [1] and [2]. The most recent detailed disruption on this specific line came in late May, when Metrolink services between Victoria and Rochdale were suspended for two weeks, from Saturday through to Friday 29 May, according to [2]. TfGM's network director, Ian Davies, said the work was intended to make the service "safer and more resilient and reliable for years to come," according to [2]. A rail replacement bus service ran between Victoria and Rochdale for the duration, with normal tram services resuming on 30 May, according to [2]. That May closure was itself tied to repairs following a landslip in the summer of 2024, and TfGM said further work would be needed later in the year to finish the job, according to [2]. Simultaneous works also took place at Derker in Oldham and on the Oldham-to-Rochdale line between Monsall, Newton Heath and Moston, with the Monsall Street stop requiring access via Ruislip Avenue or Upper Monsall Street while a level crossing was closed, according to [2]. A step-free lift was made available there during the closure, according to [2]. Separately, a much larger phase of the £150m upgrade closed three lines entirely — Eccles, Trafford Centre and Altrincham — for three weeks from 13 July to 2 August, with track replaced between Trafford Bar, Cornbrook and Deansgate-Castlefield, according to [1]. During that closure the Rochdale line was cut back to terminate at Exchange Square rather than running its full route, with replacement buses covering the gap, according to [1]. TfGM's Ian Davies said at the time that some sections of track were more than 30 years old and carrying 40-tonne trams every 30 seconds at peak times, adding that "that level of wear and tear takes its toll, which is why this work is so important," according to [1]. What the material does not establish is whether today's flagged Rochdale line disruption is a continuation of the landslip repairs mentioned in [2], a further stage of the wider £150m track-renewal programme described in [1], or a separate, unrelated incident. Neither source gives dates, duration or a cause for a disruption beyond the ones already reported. TfGM has previously advised passengers to check the Bee Network website or app for the latest journey planning during works, according to [2]. Given the frequency of works on this corridor this year — landslip repairs in spring, city-centre track renewal through the summer — it would be sensible for Wayne to treat any Rochdale line alert as likely genuine rather than a one-off, though the specifics of today's change are unconfirmed by the material to hand. What to watch next: confirmation from TfGM of the exact dates, stations and replacement bus routes covering the current Rochdale line change.