Last year, it was announced that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) was to pilot a three month trial of dogs on trams with the aim of making it a permanent fixture if all hell didn’t break loose.
After a fur-ly successful run, it has been confirmed today that man’s best friend will be allowed on Metrolink trams for good, following recommendations from TfGM bosses. This also means that journeys are about to get a lot more enjoyable, as you could be staring into the face of a Labrador and not just some disgruntled bloke from Prestwich desperate to get home.
Dogs have been prohibited to board the met since its inception back in 1992, with Metrolink stating that only dogs trained to assist people with disabilities are allowed on the service.
Working closely with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham on the new scheme, after he committed to the pilot in his 2021 reelection, TfGM have also introduced new rules for anyone boarding the tram with a dog, making owners responsible if their furry friend decides to cock its leg up on someone’s backpack.
If it’s behaving badly or makes a mess, Graeme Hall won’t be called, owners will have to take a walk of shame to the control room at the front of the tram and inform the driver. Travellers are also being warned against bringing their dogs onto busier services.
Following the pilot, there has been an outpouring of positivity from travellers with many agreeing that allowing dogs aboard brought the service ‘into the 21st century’. However, some still expressed concerns about the potential wet dog stench and bustling tram anxiety, which could also apply to some humans.
Speaking to the BBC, Danny Vaughan head of Metrolink said that enforcing strict rules would be “virtually impossible” because of staff shortages so he wanted to keep the rules simple.
He furthered: “I’m sure there will be complaints, I’m sure there will be incidents in the future, but we just need to keep on top of it.”
We think the news is pretty pawfect and we can’t wait to meet some more furry mates on the commute.
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