Building work has began on the Metrolink Crossing through Manchester.

The foundations of the first section of line will be laid between Victoria and Exchange Square, where there will be a new stop opposite Manchester Arndale.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has been able to start work on this section of the route faster than expected after securing a £10.8 million European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant earlier this year.

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Trams could be running between Victoria and a brand new stop in Exchange Square as early as next winter (2015/16), which will also give Metrolink the ability to run more trams between Shaw And Crompton and the city, ahead of the whole Second City Crossing being completed in 2017.

The Second City Crossing is part of a co-ordinated three-year programme of works, known collectively as Grow, which will enable Manchester city centre to flourish for years to come. Between now and 2017, the city centre will see more than £1bn of investment in projects to lay the foundations for continuing success by ‘future proofing’ the city’s transport infrastructure. Also under the Grow umbrella are a series of major regeneration projects. Together they add up to a wave of investment unprecedented since the mid-1990s.

(CD/MH)