METROLINK passengers could soon be able to park their cars overnight at tram stops in the borough.

Plans to develop a trial scheme allowing limited overnight parking at 13 Metrolink park and rides - including Bury, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Besses o’ th’ Barn, and Whitefield - will be put to councillors on Friday.

Members of the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) committee will be asked to consider plans for an overnight parking trial during Friday and Saturday nights only, which could start in December.

Since 2012, parking at Metrolink park and rides outside of tram service hours has been prohibited and subject to a parking charge notice, in a bid to keep spaces free for commuters on busy weekdays.

Last year, a campaign was launched to stop £100 fines being handed out to people parking overnight at Radcliffe Metrolink station, with drivers complaining that it was not clear that the car park was only open during hours when trams were running.

Peter Cushing, TfGM Metrolink Director, said: “Our current overnight parking policy was designed to discourage misuse of our car parks. We don’t make any money from parking charges. We just want to keep spaces available for Metrolink customers to use during the day – particularly for weekday commuters.

“Metrolink has tripled in size in recent years and opened up many more travel opportunities for both shift workers and people planning a late night out out at venues right across the region.

“People want to travel by tram and, if parking overnight at weekends can significantly benefit our customers, the environment and the local economy, it’s something we’ll seriously investigate.”

The review of parking hours has been prompted by the recent rapid expansion of the Metrolink network to 92 stops, with increased demand for overnight parking from shift workers and people enjoying late nights out.

If agreed, TfGM will move ahead with plans for a three-month trial, allowing customers to park overnight on Fridays or Saturdays.

Customers would not be allowed to leave their vehicles for the duration and would have to pick up their vehicles before noon the following day.

Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, added: “Metrolink’s park and rides offer a great way to reduce your carbon footprint, save money and help cut traffic on our roads, and we want to make sure as many people as possible can use them.

“We listen closely to passengers and, wherever possible, take action. There’s clearly a discussion to be had about how Metrolink’s current parking policy could adapt to meet the demand for overnight weekend parking.”