Public transport users and drivers have been asked to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys this weekend due to a number of large events and planned improvement works taking place on Metrolink.
In the build-up to the festive season, Greater Manchester is entering the one of the busiest periods of the year with a wide range of events and leisure activities set to take place over the coming months.
It all begins this weekend with the Freedom of the City event taking place in Manchester City Centre on Saturday 30 October, starting with a ceremony in St Peter’s Square from 11am. This will be followed by a march around the city centre, which will involve road closures and the diversion of some Metrolink services.
- Exchange Square Metrolink stop will be closed from the start of service until 1pm on Saturday, with services operating via Market Street.
- Some roads in Manchester city centre will be closed to traffic from 6am until approximately 2pm. Drivers will need to use alternative routes, which could lead to increased congestion.
- A number of bus services will be diverted throughout the day due to the road closures in place for the event.
In addition to this, Manchester City will be hosting Crystal Palace at the Etihad stadium from 3pm.
With both events taking place on the same day, public transport services and roads around the city centre are expected to be busy. People making shorter trips are encouraged to think about walking and cycling, where possible, or consider travelling at a quieter time if travelling by Metrolink.
On Sunday 31 October, planned engineering works will take place on the Eccles Metrolink line. This means there no Eccles to Piccadilly services will operate and a bus replacement service will operate throughout the day, every 12 minutes.
Next week, Manchester City meet Club Brugge in the Champions League as well as the first of nine Disney on Ice shows at the Arena. This is followed by Bonfire Night, the Manchester Christmas Markets as well as more football matches and concerts.
Graham Banks, TfGM’s Customer Travel Information Manager, said: “We’re working closely with operators to help keep people moving, but whether going to an event or not, the main thing people can do to ensure their journey is as smooth as possible, is to check and plan in advance.
“With the build-up the festive season and the return of the Christmas markets and events such as Lightopia, we would encourage people to always check before making a journey.
“We are constantly updating the customer information available on our website and across our social media channels to help people make informed journey choices; to save them time and avoid disruption to their journey.
“It’s also important that we continue to look out for one another, particularly the most vulnerable passengers, so if you’re using public transport, please remember to use a face covering to help protect one another.”
