St Peter's Square tram stop

Coordinates: 53°28′42″N 2°14′35″W / 53.4782°N 2.2430°W / 53.4782; -2.2430
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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
Location
Map

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.

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[edit]

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 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,[3] 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.[4]

The stop closed after end of service on 27 June 2015 for 14 months to allow for a total redevelopment to incorporate trams on the new Second City Crossing.[5] 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.[6] The Manchester Cenotaph was also relocated and the entire square has been redeveloped into a new public space. During the redevelopment works, a reduced service ran through the square on a single track[7] from Nicholas Street to Windmill Street[8] - but there were two 2-month long closures at the beginning and end of the project.[9] During these full closures, no Metrolink services ran through the square. The rebuilding work uncovered the remnants of an 18th century church crypt.[10]

Deansgate-Castlefield – St Peter's Square
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
National Rail Deansgate
Deansgate

Services[edit]

Services run every 12 minutes on each route.

Preceding station Manchester Metrolink Following station
Deansgate-Castlefield East Didsbury–Shaw (peak only) Exchange Square
East Didsbury–Rochdale Exchange Square
Deansgate-Castlefield 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
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards Eccles
Eccles–Ashton (peak only) Piccadilly Gardens
Eccles–Ashton via MediaCityUK (off-peak only)
Deansgate-Castlefield
towards MediaCityUK
MediaCityUK–Etihad Campus (peak only) Piccadilly Gardens

References[edit]

  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. ^ "Elizabeth House". Cool Manchester. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  4. ^ One St Peter's Square; E-architect
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.
  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. ^ Helen Heath (15 February 2017). "Bishop of Manchester rededicates cross in St Peter's square". thenorthernquota.org. Retrieved 14 March 2020.

External links[edit]