Trafford, Metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England
Trafford is a metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester that comprises several towns including Stretford, Sale, Altrincham and Urmston, spanning both banks of the River Mersey. The borough combines urban residential areas, green spaces along the waterfront and commercial districts spread across approximately 106 square kilometers (41 square miles).
The borough was created on 1 April 1974 through the merger of six administrative units and parts of a seventh. This reform brought together multiple towns under a shared administration that had previously maintained separate municipal structures.
Over the years various communities have kept their own market squares and local centers where shops and cafés shape everyday life. The different residential areas show architectural styles from the 19th and 20th centuries, ranging from Victorian terraces to modern housing estates.
Several railway stations within the borough offer connections to Manchester city center and neighboring areas, while bus routes link the different towns. Major roads run through the territory, providing access by car or bicycle to parks, shopping centers and residential neighborhoods.
The former Trafford Park estate was converted from agricultural land into the first planned industrial zone in the world during the late 19th century. This transformation brought factories, warehouses and workshops onto an area that once held meadows and fields.
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