Wikipedia

St Peter's Square tram stop

St Peter's Square is a tram stop in St Peter's Square in Manchester city centre, England. It opened on 27 April 1992 and is in Zone 1 of Greater Manchester's Metrolink light rail system.

St Peter's Square
Manchester Metrolink tram stop
General information
LocationSt Peter's Square, Manchester
England
Coordinates53°28′42″N 2°14′35″W / 53.4782°N 2.2430°W / 53.4782; -2.2430
Grid referenceSJ839979
Line(s)First City Crossing
Second City Crossing
Platforms4
Other information
StatusIn operation
Fare zone1
History
Original companyManchester Metrolink
Key dates
27 April 1992Opened
2015-2016Rebuilt
Passengers
2017/18Increase 7.010 million
2018/19Increase 8.711 million
2019/20Decrease 7.480 million
2020/21Decrease 1.307 million
2021/22Increase 4.930 million
Location
Map

The stop's platforms were extended in 2009, but later redevelopment in 2015–16 demolished the original two side platforms and replaced them with a twin-island platform layout, which allows for limited cross-platform interchange. The stop is the most used on the Metrolink network.[1]

History

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See also: History of Manchester Metrolink

Plans for a rapid transit station in St Peter's Square were made in the 1970s; proposals for the abandoned Picc-Vic tunnel envisaged the construction of an underground station to serve both St Peter's and the neighbouring Albert Square.[2] The early proposals for an on-street light rail system in Manchester revived the idea of a station in the square. St. Peter's Square was one of the original city-centre stops to open when Metrolink started operations in 1992, when it consisted of two side [3] platforms and basic shelters. In common with most newly built Metrolink stops at the time, St. Peter's Square had two-level platforms, meaning only a short section of the platforms offered level boarding.

The stop was demolished and rebuilt with a full length platform and improved passenger facilities in November 2009. When a building called Elisabeth House, which had stood between Dickinson Street and Oxford Street since the 1970s, was demolished for redevelopment in 2011 as One St Peter's Square,[4] architects' plans were entered in a competition, which was modified in 2011 to incorporate proposals to improve the Metrolink station. In March 2012 a shortlist of two submissions was made.[5]

The stop closed after end of service on 25 June 2015 for 14 months to allow for a total redevelopment of St Peter's Square, to incorporate trams on the new Second City Crossing.[6] During the redevelopment works, a reduced service ran through the square on a single track[7] from Nicholas Street to Windmill Street.[8] At the beginning and end of the project, there were two full closures lasting two months, during which no Metrolink services ran through the square.[9]

The project involved a complete re-ordering of St Peter's Square, and the Cenotaph was re-sited to accommodate the expanded tram interchange.[10] The realigned tram tracks were laid over the site of a former church, St Peter's Church, which had been demolished in 1907. To protect the remaining underground burial vaults of the church, concrete slabs were put in place below street level before the tram tracks were laid.[11][12][13] The stone cross marking the location of the former church was restored and re-instated close to its original location, in between the tracks.[14]

The tram stop re-opened on 28 August 2016 as a four-platform interchange, comprising two island platforms, one for inbound services and the other for outbound. This offers same-direction cross-platform interchange. The stop was moved slightly north towards Princess Street from that of its old location, which was in front of Manchester Central Library. A number of trees were planted within the structure of the platforms to improve the look and feel of the space.[15]

Deansgate-Castlefield – St Peter's Square
Legend
 
 
 
Mosley Street
to Market Street
 
 
or Piccadilly Gardens
 
Second City Crossing
to Exchange Square
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Princess Street
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
D
 
 
 
 
 
 
A
 St Peter's Square
Central Library
 
 
 
 
 
Peter Street
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oxford Street
Midland Hotel
 
 
 
 
 
 
Windmill Street
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Manchester Central
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Great Bridgewater Street
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deansgate-Castlefield
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   Deansgate
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deansgate
 
to Cornbrook
  •  
    An artist's impression of light rail in St Peter's Square (1987)
  •  
    T-68 Tram at the old St Peter's Square tram stop in 1992.
  •  
    The rebuilt four platform stop, 2018

Services

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Services run every 12 minutes on each route.

Preceding station   Manchester Metrolink Following station
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards East Didsbury
 East Didsbury–Shaw (peak only) Exchange Square
towards Shaw and Crompton
East Didsbury–Rochdale Exchange Square
towards Rochdale Town Centre
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards Manchester Airport
 Manchester Airport–Victoria Market Street
towards Victoria
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards Altrincham
 Altrincham–Bury (peak only) Market Street
towards Bury
Altrincham–Piccadilly Piccadilly Gardens
towards Piccadilly
Altrincham–Etihad Campus (evenings and Sundays only) Piccadilly Gardens
towards Etihad Campus
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards Eccles
 Eccles–Ashton (peak only) Piccadilly Gardens
towards Ashton-under-Lyne
Eccles–Ashton via MediaCityUK (off-peak only)
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards MediaCityUK
 MediaCityUK–Etihad Campus (peak only) Piccadilly Gardens
towards Etihad Campus

References

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  1. ^ "Transport Statistics Greater Manchester 2017 Public Transport Section". TfGM. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  2. ^ SELNEC PTE (October 1971), SELNEC Picc-Vic Line, SELNEC PTE publicity brochure
  3. ^ International2016-09-02T11:07:00 01:00, Railway Gazette. "Manchester Metrolink opens expanded St Peter's Square stop". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 24 May 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Elizabeth House". Cool Manchester. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  5. ^ One St Peter's Square; E-architect
  6. ^ "St Peter's Square Metrolink stop to reopen after a year". BBC News. 27 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Next stop, St. Peter's Square" (PDF). 8 April 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  8. ^ GM Trainspotting (26 June 2016). Metrolink Driver's Eye View - Market Street to Deansgate-Castlefield. Retrieved 18 May 2024 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "St Peter's Square stop closure: Metrolink and shuttle bus services". Transport for Greater Manchester. TfGM. 29 June 2015. Archived from the original on 8 August 2015.
  10. ^ Linton, Deborah (25 January 2014). "Workmen start on cenotaph relocation". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  11. ^ Cox, Charlotte (16 July 2015). "Experts uncover 270 bodies as part of Cross Street Metrolink works". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  12. ^ "Unearthing Manchester's hidden crypt and secret cemetery". BBC News. 27 January 2015. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Greater Manchester's Past Revealed Life and Death in Manchester - Excavations along the Second City Crossing" (PDF). Greater Manchester Archaeology Federation. pp. 7–15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  14. ^ Heath, Helen (15 February 2017). "Bishop of Manchester rededicates cross in St Peter's square - The Northern Quota". The Northern Quota - Latest news from Manchester. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  15. ^ "One month to go for St Peter's Square tram works". Place North West. 27 July 2016. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
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