Going underground

THIRD TUNNEL UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR SUBTERRANEAN TRAM AND TRAIN NETWORK

- By ETHAN DAVIES Local Democracy Reporting Service

MAJOR changes have been made to plans to tunnel below Manchester city centre for an underground train and tram network.

Andy Burnham announced last month he will instruct Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to 'look at options for underground services,' claiming the city's growth is at risk if Mancs have to rely on surface-level public transport.

"We will need infrastructure on a bigger scale to cope," the mayor said on July 7. "It's not a throwaway line. I am deadly serious.

"I want TfGM to start preparing the original, first concept for what an underground for Manchester might look like. I'm going to open the earliest conversation with the government on what the funding mechanism will look like."