Manchester chaos ahead of Elton John, Arctic Monkeys & Coldplay …
Manchester is bracing for what is expected to be the 'busiest days of the year so far' with thousands travelling in and out of the city for huge Elton John, Arctic Monkeys and Coldplay gigs, as well as the Manchester City v Manchester United FA Cup final game in London - all during train strikes.
Next Saturday, June 3, is predicted to be the most hectic of all, with both Manchester City and Manchester United fans attempting to travel down to London to attend the FA Cup final, with rail strikes set to impede journeys and cause delays or last minute cancellations.
That same day, Elton John will be performing his third night at the AO Arena, the Arctic Monkeys will take to the stage for their second Manchester date at Emirates Old Trafford and Coldplay will perform their third show out of four to a sold-out Etihad stadium.
Crowds will also descend on the region for two events at Edgeley Park, Stockport, on June 2 and 3 and also for the We Invented the Weekend festival at Salford Quays.
With rail strikes and many major events all happening on the same day, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have now warned that June 3 will be the 'busiest day this year so far' on the Greater Manchester transport network, with congestion on trains, trams, buses and roads expected.
TfGM said they 'strongly advise' that between May 31 and June 4, when many of the musical acts are also performing other dates in Manchester, that people do not drive into the city centre and instead catch a bus via park and ride or using the Metrolink system.
Fans are urged to catch a tram or use one of the city's Park and Ride systems (Image: Manchester Evening News)
And people who work in the city centre and commute have even been urged to consider leaving work early or working from home to avoid the chaos between Wednesday, May 31 and Friday, June 2.
Roads in and around the city centre are also expected to be gridlocked, particularly towards the AO Arena and Old Trafford ground, and on the Inner Ring Road near to the Etihad stadium.
What rail strikes are planned?
The RMT and ASLEF unions have announced a series of industrial action on the railways, with strikes set to affect train journeys on a number of dates, including Wednesday 31 May, Friday 2 June and Saturday 3 June.
Members of Aslef will walk out on May 31 and June 3, the day of the FA Cup Final at Wembley, with 20,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) to walk out on June 2. This will include catering, train managers and station staff take action, affecting train services throughout the country.
Transport for Greater Manchester are urging people to check the status of their journey with their operator in advance of travel and considering using one of the region's 24 park and ride sites and using the Metrolink to reach their destination.
FA Cup Final fans advised to consider alternative travel arrangements with NO trains expected to operate
Manchester City and Manchester United fans will be heading to London from Manchester for the FA Cup final (Image: Getty Images)
Manchester City will play Manchester United in the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday 3 June at 3pm however due to strike action on the railways on June 2 and 3, supporters are advised to consider alternative travel arrangements.
No rail services are expected to operate and should find alternative means of travel, such as by car or by coach, however extreme congestion is expected around Wembley.
The FA will be operating additional coach services, to and from Wembley Stadium on Saturday 3 June, in collaboration with both clubs.
Both Radcliffe and East Didsbury Park and Ride sites will be used as coach pick up and drop off points for FA Cup Final coaches travelling to London. This means that these sites are expected to be extremely busy and you may not find a space on Saturday 3 June.
The FA will provide 60 coaches for both Manchester clubs to help supporters get to the FA Cup Final fixture on Saturday 3 June at Wembley Stadium and return to Manchester, once the game has finished. Full details are for Man City fans[2] and Man United fans[3] are available here.
When is Elton John playing and what is the travel advice?
Huge crowds will flock to see Elton John at AO Arena (Image: ENRIC FONTCUBERTA/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Elton John is bringing his 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' tour to the AO Arena for three nights - on May 31, June 2 and June 3.
Fans are being advised to use public transport as journey times and congestion are expected to be 'significantly higher than usual' - especially on Saturday June 3.
Crowds can use the Metrolink services, with the AO Arena nearby to the Victoria tram stop and railway station. Extremely limited train services will operate, if any at all, and people are urged to find an alternative means of travel to the venue.
During peak commuting hours and on Saturday afternoon, there will be significant congestion on Trinity Way and the Inner Ring Road. People arriving by car are asked to consider the park and ride sites across the region.
When are Coldplay playing and what is the travel advice?
Coldplay will perform four dates at the Etihad (Image: Marta Perez/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Coldplay will be performing at the Etihad stadium on May 31, June 1, 3 and 4 as part of their 'Music of the Spheres' tour.
Fans are asked to consider walking to the stadium from the city centre, which takes around 25 minutes, whether they live there or travelled there from elsewhere. From Piccadilly Station, a step-free walking route is signposted through Manchester’s Ancoats and New Islington areas.
If travelling by Metrolink, there will also be a six-minute service between the Etihad Campus and the city centre until approximately 1am on all four dates.
The last tram to the city centre from the Etihad Stadium will depart at 1.11am on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The last tram will depart at 12.31am on the Sunday. The last tram to Ashton from the Etihad Stadium will depart at 12.11am on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The last tram will depart at 11.35pm on the Sunday.
Drivers arriving by car will face congestion on the roads close to the Etihad, which will start to build from around two hours before the event. Ticket holders are advised to consider parking at a Metrolink Park and Ride site.
When are the Arctic Monkeys playing and what is the travel advice?
The Arctic Monkeys will grace the stage at Emirates Old Trafford for two nights (Image: PAUL BERGEN/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
Sheffield's Arctic Monkeys will return to the stage at Emirates Old Trafford for two nights on June 2 and June 3.
Those travelling by Metrolink can reach the Old Trafford tram stop, connected to the Bury and Altrincham lines, which is located next to the ground.
After the concert, fans can use the Old Trafford station for journeys back into the city centre and Trafford Bar for southbound journeys on the East Didsbury or Airport lines. Alternatively,people can walk 10 minutes to Wharfside and catch a tram back to the city centre.
The last tram from Old Trafford to the city centre will depart at 1.08am and towards Altrincham at 12.29am. The last tram from Trafford Bar to East Didsbury will depart at 11.46pm and to the Airport at 11.31pm.
If driving to the concert, TfGM have warned the Mancunian Way and Bridgewater Way towards Emirates Old Trafford will be extremely busy.
And after the show, Chester Road towards the M60 and routes including Wharfside Way, Village Way and Parkway towards the M60 will also be heavily congested with delays expected.
When travelling from 3pm (before the concert): If travelling on the Mancunian Way or Bridgewater Way towards Emirates Old Trafford, plan an extra 20 minutes into any journeys by road.
All details can be found on the TfGM site.[4]
References