Explained: Manchester United’s train problem – and how they want to fix it

As Manchester United and Trafford Council work together on plans to regenerate the Old Trafford area, with a rebuilt or refurbished football stadium at its centre, one key issue needs to be resolved: transport.

If United want to increase capacity to 90,000 and beyond, something Sir Jim Ratcliffe, their co-owner, has said they want to do, they need to significantly improve transport links to and from the stadium.

As it stands, the roads around Old Trafford are congested on match days, car parking is too limited and tram capacity is already stretched, all causing widespread disruption to residents.

One issue now under discussion is the rail freight terminal, a stone’s throw from Old Trafford, just behind the Stretford End, which links to the Liverpool-Manchester train line.

In an ideal world, and as part of the wider Trafford Wharfside proposals, United want to turn it into a train station that can help transport thousands of supporters to and from Old Trafford on a match day.

The club already has a train station behind the South Stand, known as the Old Trafford Halt, but it has not been used since December 2017 after United asked for it to be closed for security reasons.

What is happening with the cargo terminal at the moment?

The site west of Old Trafford is owned by several entities, shown in the chart below: Manchester United, Freightliner, DB Cargo International and H Company 2. Alderney Urban Investments, which is owned by United, also has , tenant interests in the section. owned by H Company 2.

There are containers, a cargo loading area and railway tracks on the site. According to the terminal’s website, it is “a key rail and distribution hub in the North West” and “handles around 20 daily Freightliner services to and from the UK’s deep sea ports”.

In 2010, it was reported that United spent around £11 million to buy the leasehold on the part of the site that H Company 2 has the freehold for. According to club records, their lease runs until 2071.

“The properties were acquired at different times for strategic reasons looking at the future,” George Johnstone, then United’s group property manager, said at the time.

“We have no specific plans for these sites at this time, but our owners feel it is prudent to prepare for the future when they may be needed for sporting development.”

Why does Manchester United want to turn it into a train station?

A rebuilt or renovated stadium with increased capacity would require a new way to attract people by routes other than roads. One of these routes could be via trains from Manchester Piccadilly station in the city centre.

Trams currently serve Trafford Bar and Wharfside stations but are at full capacity on match days and the number of fans that can fit on a tram is far less than a train.

If the freight terminal was moved elsewhere, the site and line could be redeveloped as a station for the stadium and wider redevelopment.

What did Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham say?

Burnham, who is part of the task force exploring options for the regeneration of the Trafford area, with the building of a new stadium at the heart of those plans, backed the move of the freight terminal.

On 16 May, Burnham appeared on BBC Radio Manchester and said that moving his venue elsewhere would benefit not only the football club but also the people of Greater Manchester.

“There’s a freight terminal just behind Old Trafford, which means freight trains (have to) come through Piccadilly and Oxford Road,” Burnham said.

“Here is the opportunity to take it out of Old Trafford and put it in Port Salford or Parkside, a developing scheme in Wigan, and then Manchester United have a more usable space in terms of redevelopment.

“This is not about the improper use of public money. It’s a win-win opportunity.”

Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer, middle row, at Old Trafford on May 12 (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Who would pay for it?

United are actively exploring whether public money, via taxpayers, can be used to rebuild or redevelop Old Trafford. The Athletic has already detailed why public funding used for a new stadium is unlikely to take off.

But if it was used for the benefit of the wider community as part of the regeneration project which will see new leisure facilities, business hubs and new homes built, then it could be used to pay for the cargo terminal to be transformed in a train station.

Ahead of United’s match against Arsenal on 12 May, Burnham met Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labor Party, and the two discussed the club’s plans.

“He was in a good mood,” Burnham said. “This could have benefits for both schemes and the Port of Liverpool. Then if you were to regenerate the Old Trafford area and link it to the plans that Trafford Council has, it could be a scheme that benefits everyone in the North West.”

Burnham also revealed that Starmer appeared to rule out using public money for the stadium should his party win the July 4 general election.

“It should be a public-private partnership,” Burnham added. “But the club should fund Manchester United’s stadium and associated facilities.”

How would United solve the outstanding security issue?

The Old Trafford Halt was closed by United because it stopped right at the stadium, which was a risk when security measures were tightened at sports grounds. It was impossible to check people before arriving at the stadium, and it was also not feasible to check people while boarding the train.

But if the site of the freight terminal were to be converted into a new station, it is such a large space that there would be room to screen people from each other as they get off the trains and enter the stadium.

What if a solution cannot be found?

While it would not prevent Old Trafford from being rebuilt or redeveloped, failure to find a solution would certainly limit how much the club could increase its capacity.

Transport is seen by club insiders as key to the success of the wider project. If the freight terminal remains in its existing state then United would have to think differently about transport and how they manage people coming into Old Trafford.

Bayern Munich, for example, have a car park under the Allianz Arena, so there are ways to solve the problem, but the roads in and out of the stadium when United play at home are already full of cars, so increasing the number of them would only add to traffic problems.

DEEPER

A vision for what a revamped Old Trafford could look like

(Top photo: Michael Regan via Getty Images)