Overview
- Work to remove and replace the central dome escalators started Wednesday and large hoardings now surround the mall’s Greco‑Roman dome.
- The centre says the dome replacement is a full renewal and forms part of a programme to replace or refurbish nine escalators and 13 lifts this year after six new escalators were installed in The Orient earlier.
- The new escalators will include automatic slowdown or stop when no passengers are detected, LED step and skirting lights, smart inverters and regenerative drives, which the centre says will cut energy use by around 40% and lighting use by up to 80%.
- Trafford Centre has routed shoppers to nearby lifts and alternate escalators, relocated a unit beneath the works and scheduled the jobs outside school holidays to limit disruption, but it has not published a completion date.
- The mechanical upgrades sit alongside planned new store openings such as Uniqlo and fitness brands, a move the centre frames as part of a wider renewal to improve visitor experience and reduce operating costs.