Chaos expected on Manchester's roads as 100,000 people descend on city
People are being encouraged to make the most of public transport for two huge concerts and a footballing finale tonight
People are being encouraged to make the most of public transport and active travel options as nearly 100,000 people are expected in Manchester for two huge concerts and a footballing finale tonight.
Bruce Springsteen is set to play to a sold-out Co-op Live, while City play their final home game of the season at the neighbouring Etihad (8pm kick-off) and Kylie Minogue brings her Tension Tour to the AO Arena.
At the Etihad Campus there will a crossover with City and Springsteen fans arriving at the same time for their respective events. And with the Blues planning a ‘lap of appreciation’ following the final whistle, football and music fans could be leaving at a similar time, too.
If possible, it is best to travel outside peak times when the roads and tram network will be at their busiest. Some may wish to take advantage of the 4.30pm early entry at Co-op Live, with the show scheduled to start at 8pm.
TfGM’s control room will also be monitoring the transport network during the evening and responding to any incidents as they develop.
Steve Gilholme, Head of Events at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), said:
“It promises to be a spectacular night in Manchester – but also an incredibly busy one on our transport network, particularly the roads in and around the city centre.
“I would encourage anyone travelling into the city on Tuesday to plan ahead, travel by tram or bus and use the Bee Network app or website to keep yourself up to date with the latest travel information.
“City and Bruce Springsteen fans might also want to consider walking to their events from the city centre - making use of the well-lit, signposted and stewarded walking route which takes around 25 minutes from Piccadilly. For those who prefer to travel on two wheels, there are over 500 cycle parking spaces at the Etihad Campus and two bike hire points near the south-west corner of the Etihad stadium, on Ashton New Road.”
Those who choose to travel by car should note there will be a closure on Chapel Street heading towards Salford (westbound), between Blackfriars Road and New Bailey Street. A diversion is in place but they may want to plan an alternative route.
TfGM has put a raft of measures in place to support people getting to major events on public transport, including:
Bruce Springsteen at Co-op Live
An Express bus service will operate from Alan Turing Way to Piccadilly Gardens post-event. A lane closure will be in place at the junction with Forge Lane to allow spectators to board. Tickets will cost £2; more information will be sent to ticket holders from Co-op Live.
A shuttle bus service will also be in operation post-event from Ashton New Road, opposite the Tesla Garage for spectators travelling towards the city centre. All Bee Network ticket products apply on these services including the new 'hopper' ticket.
There will be no further parking at the venue and a strictly enforced resident’s parking scheme exists around the area.
Consider walking to the venue from the city centre. There is a well-lit, signposted and stewarded walking route which takes around 25 minutes from Piccadilly.
Tram services will operate every six minutes from the city centre with as many double-trams running as possible. People should allow plenty of time for travel and aim to arrive early as they may need to wait to board a service. Additional trams will also operate post-event heading towards Ashton-under-Lyne and the city centre.
Concertgoers should be aware that The Velopark, Clayton Hall and Holt Town stops are closed for an hour after Manchester City home games for safety reasons, and that those travelling by tram during this time are asked to use the Etihad stop.
Those that have to drive are encouraged to use a Park and Ride site or city centre car park and then travel to the venue by tram. Ashton Moss and Ashton West Park and Ride sites will likely be full from fans travelling to the football, so please try and avoid using these.
Man City v Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium
Consider walking to the venue from the city centre. There is a well lit, signposted and stewarded walking route which takes around 25 minutes from Piccadilly. Manchester City have produced a downloadable map of both the CityLink and Ashton New Road walking routes.
Tram services will operate every six minutes from the city centre with as many double trams running as possible. Fans should allow plenty of time for travel and aim to arrive early as there may be a wait to board a service. The Velopark, Clayton Hall and Holt Town stops are closed for an hour after games for safety reasons. Fans are asked to use the Etihad stop.
As it is Kevin De Bruyne's last home game for Manchester City, the matchday bus services, will depart 45 minutes after the final whistle to give fans plenty of time to say goodbye. Please check the departure times on our dedicated bus page.
Those that have to drive are encouraged to use a Park and Ride site or city centre car park and then travel to the venue by tram or walking route.
Kylie Minogue at AO Arena
The AO Arena is served by multiple tram lines (Bury - Altrincham, East Didsbury - Rochdale/Shaw and Crompton and Manchester Airport lines) with the Manchester Victoria stop located directly next to the venue.
Tram services run frequently throughout the day – with travellers able to check the first and last trams from Victoria on our tram schedule webpage.
If you are intending to catch a bus to or from the AO Arena, there are a number of Bee Network bus services within just one minute walk of the venue (including the following services: 2, 10, 59, 67, 93, 97, 98, 100).
There are several other services within just a few minutes’ walk of the venue, details can be found on our dedicated webpage.
The AO Arena is a 15-minute walk from the heart of Manchester and there are plenty of walking routes from bus, tram and rail stops within the city centre.