Milnrow - Transport

Transport

Public transport in Milnrow is co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester, and services include bus and rail transport. Major A roads link Milnrow with other settlements, including the A640 road, which forms a route from Rochdale and over the Pennines into Huddersfield and West Yorkshire.

Milnrow railway station was on the Oldham Loop Line which connected Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale. The station was constructed in 1862 by navvies drafted by contractors under the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. On 12 August 1863, the line was opened to commercial traffic and 2 November 1863, to passenger trains. Milnrow station was originally staffed, and the line through it was dual-track; however this section was reduced to single-track in 1980. Milnrow railway station closed on 3 October 2009 to be converted for use with an expanded Manchester Metrolink network. The station is planned to reopen in 2012 as Milnrow Metrolink station; also opening at this time will be Kingsway Metrolink station and New Hey railway station.

Milnrow is situated at Junction 21 of the trans-Pennine M62 motorway. Construction of the Milnrow part of the M62 began in April 1967, a process which spread mud and dirt throughout the town. The official opening of the motorway on 13 October 1971 was by Queen Elizabeth II, who was welcomed by Ralph Assheton, 1st Baron Clitheroe in his role as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, as well as the Chairman of Milnrow Urban District Council and his wife. Once opened, the Queen cast aside protocol for an informal meeting with the people of Milnrow.

The Rochdale Canal—one of the major navigable broad canals of Great Britain—passes along Milnrow's north-western boundary which divides it from the village of Wardle and districts of Belfield and Castleton in Rochdale. The Rochdale Canal was historically used as a highway of commerce for the haulage of cotton, wool, and coal to and from the area.

Bus services operate to Rochdale, Newhey, Oldham, Manchester and Littleborough, are all operated by First Greater Manchester.