The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is looking into the idea of allowing bikes on the Metrolink with a trial up for approval this week.

Currently it is allowed to bring a folding bike onto a tram but it is not allowed to a bring non-folding bikes onto a tram at any time, anywhere on the network.

From the end of next month, if the trial is approved by a committee this week, some volunteers are to be invited by the GMCA to take bikes on the Metrolink at different times of the day and on different days of the week under the supervision of the network owner Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and the operator Keolis Amey Metrolink.

These volunteers are to be interviewed about their experiences, as are the passengers and the staff who do not use bikes but who would be affected by the change to the current arrangements, which would apply only to off-peak periods.

Bury Times:

Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey, the best British Paralympian of all-time across cycling and swimming, said: "I support the mayor's manifesto commitment to investigate changing the current arrangements and I have long advocated for the benefits of allowing what would be a small number of users to travel with a bike during off-peak periods."

When the GMCA looked into the idea of allowing dogs on the Metrolink last year, something which is now permitted permanently, the authorities let anyone take their dogs on the tram over the course of a trial of three months. This trial of up to six weeks is a lot more limited in its scope in order to create controlled conditions and to protect passenger safety.

Both of the trials were a part of Andy Burnham's mayoral manifesto for the election three years ago.

Dame Sarah said: "I look forward to examining the study's findings and working on what comes next."

Depending on approval the study's findings are anticipated over the summer.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.