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Tuesday, 13 May 2008Greater Manchester's public transport set for busy cup final day
Public transport in Greater Manchester is set for one of its busiest days of the year when the UEFA Cup Final is held at the City of Manchester Stadium on Wednesday 14 May.
Tens of thousands of Glasgow Rangers supporters are expected in Manchester for the event and the region's bus, train and tram services are all likely to be affected.
Michael Renshaw, GMPTE's Interim Service Delivery Director, said: "We are doing everything we can to make sure fans can get to the city centre and the stadium as easily as possible.
"Shuttle buses will take fans to the stadium up to kick-off and extra trams and buses will be running after the match has finished.
"Inevitably bus, train and tram services to and from the city centre will be much busier than normal and I would encourage passengers to allow extra time for their journeys."
There will be spaces for 400 pre-booked coaches at The City of Manchester Stadium for fans with tickets and a further 400 spaces at Old Trafford cricket ground for fans without tickets.
Supporters arriving at Old Trafford are being encouraged to get the tram into the city centre and walk on to the fan zones at Albert Square, Piccadilly Gardens and Cathedral Gardens.
As a result, the Metrolink system is expected to be extremely busy throughout the day and passengers are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys.
Mount Street, Albert Square, Princess Street from Cross Street to Portland Street, and John Dalton Street will be closed to traffic, which will affect the first and third free city centre Metroshuttle services - the orange and purple routes - and the following regional services: 12, 32, X34, 36, 37, X40, X41, 42A, X43, X44, 46, 47, 50, 191 and 197.
Bus services to the stadium - including the 216, 217, 230, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, X36 and X37 - could be much busier than normal.
Shuttle buses for both sets of fans will be running to the stadium from Princess Street and Piccadilly Gardens between 8am and kick-off at 7.45pm.
Signed walking routes from Old Trafford to the city centre and on to the stadium will be in place throughout the day.
As the match could finish as late as 10.30pm, Metrolink will operate a further ten trams between Piccadilly and Timperley - calling at Old Trafford - in the evening, providing a six-minute service instead of 12-minute and making every other service a double tram.
This will be supported by up to 26 buses, operated by Fraser Eagle, running from 9.30pm to 4am, initially from the stadium to the city centre and then from St Peter's Square to Old Trafford.
Information about public transport services in Greater Manchester is available by calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33. (Calls cost 10p a minute, mobile and landline networks may charge more. Lines are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 8pm at weekends.)
Related links
Fan area information from Manchester City Council
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