The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says he's 'firmly committed' to launching a trial scheme allowing bicycles on board Metrolink trams - after admitting correspondence saying the opposite was sent out 'in error' to a cycling campaigner.
After the start of a three month-long trial allowing dogs on board trams, Steve Bowater, from the Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign, contacted the Mayor's office through its website for an update on the long-debated issue of bikes on trams.
The response he received - signed on behalf of Mr Burnham - ruled out a trial citing cost grounds. It said holding a trial would require 'expensive' modifications to existing trams and platforms, and lead to the removal of space on board trams currently dedicated to wheelchairs and pushchairs.
READ MORE: Passengers have their say as the Metrolink welcomes dogs for the first time
Paragraphs from the response were shared on Twitter, sparking an angry backlash from cycling groups across Greater Manchester. Campaign group Walk Ride GM claimed Mr Burnham had given recent assurances over trialling bikes on trams.
But after the Manchester Evening News contacted the Mayor's office, they confirmed the 'piece of correspondence was sent out in error'.
Mr Burnham, who vociferously champions cycling and public transport, made an election manifesto pledge to hold pilot schemes for both dogs and bikes on trams - and said in response to the embarrassing mistake that his pledge 'still stands'.
The M.E.N. can also reveal the Mayor is due to travel to Edinburgh in Scotland next week to learn more about how it became the first UK city to allow bikes onto its tram network, following a two-month trial held there.
The news comes as the M.E.N. asks whether Greater Manchester should be doing more for cyclists following the near completion of segregated cycle lanes in Deansgate and the continuing council strategy to encourage walking and cycling across the city centre.
The response - sent in error - said Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) had 'sought advice' on a Metrolink bike trial, but cited financial factors as Metrolink revenues weren't currently meeting operational costs due to passenger numbers failing to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Currently, only folding bikes are allowed on Metrolink trams across Greater Manchester but the M.E.N. understands they are occasionally carried on board unofficially, as a photograph Mr Bowater captured of a bike on a tram reveals.
Should bikes be allowed on trams? Have your say.
The response to Mr Bowater said: "Metrolink trams are unlike trains in that they operate in on-street environments and require the capability to stop very suddenly. Bikes and other objects could cause additional safety hazards if not stored securely. Therefore, Metrolink does not allow the carriage of non-folding bikes. This is the same as most other UK light rail networks.
"TfGM has sought advice on conducting a pilot. This would require a modification to the trams and platforms, removing what is currently some of the space on board dedicated to wheelchairs and pushchairs. Such modifications are expensive and so regrettably, are not being pursued at the moment as revenues on Metrolink are not yet meeting operating costs with passenger numbers remaining at approximately 70 per cent of pre-pandemic levels."
The M.E.N. understands the correspondence was not approved or signed off for release by Mr Burnham or anyone in his team.
In a statement, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority said: "This piece of correspondence was sent out in error. It was not approved by the Mayor nor does it reflect his position. His manifesto commitment to piloting allowing both dogs and bikes on trams still stands.
"A decision was taken earlier this year to proceed first with the dogs on trams pilot because it could be put in place more quickly. The Mayor is still firmly committed to piloting bikes on trams at a future date – once some of the safety and accessibility issues have been worked through."
Mr Bowater said the new Bombardier M500 trams being used across Greater Manchester have been designed with cycle carriages and bikes are allowed on trams in Europe and 'across the world'.
He said after the M.E.N. clarified the situation: "Bikes on trams are allowed all over the world and why should Manchester be different? It is not a difficult thing.
"After being told one thing, this appears to be positive news that we welcome and we hope a trial is announced as soon as possible."
Bikes are allowed on Metrolink premises as long as they are stored in designated cycle racks, says Metrolink's conditions of carriage. There have been reviews of the policy in the past, but transport leaders have always upheld bans on bikes on Metrolink, despite cycling campaigners arguing two thirds of tram systems across Europe allow bicycles on board.
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