Trafford

Trafford, metropolitan borough, north-west England. Trafford is located in the metropolitan area of Greater Manchester, south of Salford and north of Cheshire. Until 1986, Trafford was administered by the metropolitan county council based in Manchester. As a result of the Local Government Act 1985, the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The county council's functions devolved to Greater Manchester's ten metropolitan district councils: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan. The police authority is the Greater Manchester Police, with headquarters in Manchester. Crown Courts sit in Manchester and Bolton.

Trafford is comprised of the towns of Stretford (the administrative capital), Sale, and Altrincham, together with the former urban districts of Bowdon, Hale, and Urmston, and several smaller parishes. The borough is crossed by the River Mersey and served by Manchester’s Metrolink tram service. It is home to an industrial park, a large retail centre, and two world-famous sporting grounds at Old Trafford. Population 210,135 (2001).