Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) is closing the Piccadilly and Piccadilly Gardens stops for eight weeks from Saturday 27 September to carry out the work.

The city centre track is the busiest on the network with trams travelling over some sections more than 250 times every day. This will increase to up to 400 times a day when the new Metrolink lines open.

Philip Purdy, GMPTE’s Metrolink Director, said: “The new track on the Bury and Altrincham lines has made tram journeys smoother, quieter and more reliable but now we need to turn our attention to the city centre.

“The Metrolink network opened more than 16 years ago and some of the track is showing its age. We’ll be putting on shuttle buses while the work takes place but there will obviously be some inconvenience for passengers.

“We’ll be reopening the Piccadilly and Piccadilly Gardens Metrolink stops at the end of November, so people coming into Manchester for their Christmas shopping will be able to travel on the whole of the network. I hope passengers will bear with us while this essential work is carried out.”

Trams will run between Bury and Altrincham every 6 minutes, and between Eccles and Victoria every 12 minutes, while the two city centre stops are closed.

The shuttle buses will run between Fairfield Street, outside Manchester Piccadilly station, and Market Street every 10 minutes. Extra buses will operate at busy times.

The rest of the project to upgrade the city centre track will take place next year. Passengers can get more information about Metrolink services at www.metrolink.co.uk or by calling Metrolink Customer Services on 0161 205 2000. Lines are open between 7am and 11pm, Monday to Friday, and between 10am and 6pm at weekends