The M-Pact Thales (MPT) consortium has reached a project milestone on a £165 million Metrolink line extension scheme in Manchester.
The contractor has now laid the final rails of the Second City Crossing scheme and is on schedule to finish main construction works before Christmas.
In addition, all major civil engineering works are expected to be completed by the end of the year and the overall development is scheduled to officially open in early 2017.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) had originally been expecting completion in summer 2017 due to potential delays.
However the MPT consortium, consisting of Laing O'Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales UK, worked closely with utility companies and TfGM to ensure the line is on track for completion earlier in the year.
Cllr Andrew Fender said: "It's great to see these final sections of rail laid, one of the final jigsaw pieces in the puzzle.
"With some infrastructure still dating back to the Victorians, building through a busy city has not been an easy task. The scale of the venture has been impressive and, while there has been inevitable disruption, we're close to the finish line and to customers, residents and businesses reaping the benefits."
Peter Jones, MPT Project Director, added: "Over the past eight years of partnership with TfGM, we've built 58 new tram stops and more than 60km of new track.
"Reaching this milestone is a measure of our teams' tenacity and we will work together to ensure the opening is achieved early next year."
(LM/MH)
Construction News
15/09/2016
MPT Reaches Milestone On £165m Manchester Metrolink Extension


11/07/2025
Story Homes has submitted a full planning application to South Ribble Borough Council for a proposed new residential development in Longton, aiming to build on the success of its nearby Longton Grange scheme.
With the majority of homes now sold at Longton Grange, the developer is looking to meet co

11/07/2025
Essar Energy Transition (EET), through its subsidiary EET Property Limited, has completed the acquisition of Thornton Science Park.
The 66-acre site includes purpose-built laboratories, industrial facilities, and office space, and is set to play a central role in EET's ambition to create one of Eur

11/07/2025
Families are preparing to move into four newly completed houses for affordable rent at the Malthouse Meadows development in West Sompting, Adur.
The latest handover marks a key milestone in the delivery of high-quality, energy-efficient homes aimed at addressing local housing needs.
The four fami

11/07/2025
Galliford Try's project team at the Syngenta manufacturing site in Huddersfield has been shortlisted in two categories at the 2025 Constructing Excellence (CE) Yorkshire and Humber Awards, celebrating the success and resilience of a long-standing partnership spanning over two decades.
The team has

11/07/2025
Cambridgeshire County Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a new secondary school at the heart of the Alconbury Weald development, continuing its investment in the region's educational infrastructure.
The new school, named Alconbury Weald Church Academy, will be run by the D

11/07/2025
Passengers and residents in Stone, Staffordshire, are being urged to prepare for a £7 million-plus package of railway upgrades set to improve safety, performance and long-term reliability on the West Coast Main Line.
The work, scheduled to take place during the summer school holidays, will include

11/07/2025
A ceremonial tile signing has marked a major milestone in the restoration of the historic Pippbrook House, as roof-level works near completion on the Grade II* listed building in Dorking.
Chair of Mole Valley District Council (MVDC), Councillor Roger Adams, led the event, joined by a host of guests

11/07/2025
ACS Construction Group has been appointed Principal Contractor by GE Vernova for a major infrastructure expansion at its Stafford HVDC Transformers facility, part of the company’s drive to support global decarbonisation through advanced transformer technology.
ACS commenced with the Test Supply Bui

10/07/2025
Vistry Group has agreed two major deals with housing provider Abri to enable the delivery of almost 200 affordable homes across Hampshire, marking a significant step forward in addressing local housing needs.
In Funtley, near Fareham, Vistry has completed a simultaneous land acquisition and forward

10/07/2025
Caddick Construction has officially completed its first Midlands project with the handover of Mansion House, a six-storey residential development comprising 58 new apartments, to joint venture partners Urban Splash and Places for People.
Located on the 43-acre Port Loop island alongside Birmingham