Metrolink to / from Etihad

[paulchapo]

I caught a tram from Altrincham last night on my way to Didsbury. They were all showing as going to the Etihad campus. Why?? I mean why run trams there directly when there is no football match on, but when there IS a game on we have to change at Cornbook? It's absolute madness. Another thing I noticed is they were running at 20 minute intervals instead of 12 minutes. Quite annoying if you've just missed one. Whoever is in charge of running these things need fucking off asap.

 

[MadchesterCity]

After full-time last night, tapped in at the etihad campus booths and was waiting for stewards to open the barrier down to the platform. Whilst waiting, one of the small side gates was opened to let a couple of elderly/disabled folk into the queue - fair enough. What was not fair game was the 70-80 people who took advantage of this gate briefly being open to force their way into the queue from the public walkway, but more worryingly, proceed to ram into the people already in the queue which caused a crush up against the metal barriers. Myself and a couple of others challenged some of the queue jumpers who'd caused this, however, they just looked at us with blank faces as if we'd spoken Japanese. Odd behaviour to say the least.

After the Arsenal match two young lads in Stone Island clobber we’re pushing past elderly and disable people in queue almost knocking them over. I spoke up and shamed him for his action against fellow blues, but rather than apologising he wanted to start a fight

 

[blue44]

Clayton Hall Tram Stop Closure / Non Closure

Clearly a lot of differing views.

Personally I'm travelling to Ashton after the match and go down to the Etihad Campus stop to queue up and get on the tram. So - the platforms get full , there is a scrum to get on which is dangerous for younger, older or more infirm travellers and the the tram is filled to the point where its just possible to shut the doors. At this point the Next Tram Timing sign is turned off - so everybody just packs on!!

And off we go. No problems at Velopark - Its shut and the tram doesn't stop> Onward to Clayton Hall. The Doors of a rammed full tram open & EVEN MORE TRY TO FORCE their way on. And I do mean FORCE - in terms of there being no space & it being an increased danger to those already on , especially to those mentioned above. And if Anybody Dares to Speak OUT - then its immediate hostility and aggression!!

I've mentioned this on here a couple of times before & to be honest - Last week was Bliss. Clayton Hall was closed after the match and actually manned by Stewards. The tram was still rammed full from the Etihad but there were no increased problems & significantly NO HOSTILITY or INTIMIDATION.

Last night after the Madrid game it was worse than ever. The tram was fuller from the start and the events at Clayton Hall were multiplied.

I've read the other points of view & urge City, Metrolink and even Andy Burnham to put the bits together and find a solution. Its dangerous now and a genuine Health & Safety/Public Order Risk. Add Concert crowds & you make a service that isn't fit for purpose possibly catastrophic!

Its not fair for anybody coming from central Manchester or even further down the line though is it ?
They might want to get off at the velopark or clayton hall stop and can't.
The other week when trams weren't allowed to stop at clayton hall,we had to pay again over the road for the bus as it was raining heavy,and we didnt want to.walk up to the next stop to get the tram.
I would have been fuming if i was a non football fan and had to miss my stop and get off at the next one in pissing rain and walk.back.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

I caught a tram from Altrincham last night on my way to Didsbury. They were all showing as going to the Etihad campus. Why?? I mean why run trams there directly when there is no football match on, but when there IS a game on we have to change at Cornbook? It's absolute madness. Another thing I noticed is they were running at 20 minute intervals instead of 12 minutes. Quite annoying if you've just missed one. Whoever is in charge of running these things need fucking off asap.

Everything runs to a schedule and the Altrincham tram runs to the Etihad after 8pm Mon - Fri, after 6.30pm Saturday and all-day Sunday. Of course it will probably make more sense after the arena starts operating properly.

 

[paulchapo]

Everything runs to a schedule and the Altrincham tram runs to the Etihad after 8pm Mon - Fri, after 6.30pm Saturday and all-day Sunday. Of course it will probably make more sense after the arena starts operating properly.

That schedule is the most fucked up I've ever seen created. So you have a major football stadium that will often have games that kick off at 8pm Monday to Friday, so you decide to start running a direct tram there AFTER that time. Similarly at weekend. "Hey a stadium holding 54,000 people often play every other Saturday between 12.30 and 5.30pm. Tell you what, we'll run a tram directly there starting at 6.30 pm " Genius. We may get lucky on a Sunday though on the odd game we play then.
Anybody who thought this scheduling up is either on drugs, a rag or hates the passengers that help pay their wages. Probably all three.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Clayton Hall Tram Stop Closure / Non Closure

Clearly a lot of differing views.

Personally I'm travelling to Ashton after the match and go down to the Etihad Campus stop to queue up and get on the tram. So - the platforms get full , there is a scrum to get on which is dangerous for younger, older or more infirm travellers and the the tram is filled to the point where its just possible to shut the doors. At this point the Next Tram Timing sign is turned off - so everybody just packs on!!

And off we go. No problems at Velopark - Its shut and the tram doesn't stop> Onward to Clayton Hall. The Doors of a rammed full tram open & EVEN MORE TRY TO FORCE their way on. And I do mean FORCE - in terms of there being no space & it being an increased danger to those already on , especially to those mentioned above. And if Anybody Dares to Speak OUT - then its immediate hostility and aggression!!

I've mentioned this on here a couple of times before & to be honest - Last week was Bliss. Clayton Hall was closed after the match and actually manned by Stewards. The tram was still rammed full from the Etihad but there were no increased problems & significantly NO HOSTILITY or INTIMIDATION.

Last night after the Madrid game it was worse than ever. The tram was fuller from the start and the events at Clayton Hall were multiplied.

I've read the other points of view & urge City, Metrolink and even Andy Burnham to put the bits together and find a solution. Its dangerous now and a genuine Health & Safety/Public Order Risk. Add Concert crowds & you make a service that isn't fit for purpose possibly catastrophic!

This has been going on for years. When we first became season ticket holders, my wife and I used to drive down from Scotland, park at Ashton Moss at the park and ride and get the tram in. It was always fine and dandy. Going back was the problem. No supervision of numbers on the platform or the tram. people literally running at the open doors to force their way in. We quit after Mrs S suffered a crush injury to her ribs. I complained to metro and ended up speaking to someone quite senior who admitted they had a safe quideline for numbers on the tram but it was impossible to enforce??? He also said there were plans to improve the service so that their were larger and more frequent trams to Ashton. All bollocks of course. Sad because it should be perfectly possible to run an efficient and effective tram service both ways.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

That schedule is the most fucked up I've ever seen created. So you have a major football stadium that will often have games that kick off at 8pm Monday to Friday, so you decide to start running a direct tram there AFTER that time. Similarly at weekend. "Hey a stadium holding 54,000 people often play every other Saturday between 12.30 and 5.30pm. Tell you what, we'll run a tram directly there starting at 6.30 pm " Genius. We may get lucky on a Sunday though on the odd game we play then.
Anybody who thought this scheduling up is either on drugs, a rag or hates the passengers that help pay their wages. Probably all three.

I agree. Hopefully though it may be they intend to extend operating hours to all day Saturday and after 6pm weekdays which would suit us. At the moment I think the drive behind the decision to do this earlier this year was more for the arena than us.

 

[Stephen230]

That schedule is the most fucked up I've ever seen created. So you have a major football stadium that will often have games that kick off at 8pm Monday to Friday, so you decide to start running a direct tram there AFTER that time. Similarly at weekend. "Hey a stadium holding 54,000 people often play every other Saturday between 12.30 and 5.30pm. Tell you what, we'll run a tram directly there starting at 6.30 pm " Genius. We may get lucky on a Sunday though on the odd game we play then.
Anybody who thought this scheduling up is either on drugs, a rag or hates the passengers that help pay their wages. Probably all three.

It might not be ideal for people travelling specifically between a station on the Altrincham line and the stadium. But it probably does overall.

It makes sense, to me at least, to prioritise the town to the ground section in the couple of hours before a game.

By the time a tram has come from Altrincham to the ground, it could probably have done three shuttle runs between town and the ground.

 

[staffsblue]

It might not be ideal for people travelling specifically between a station on the Altrincham line and the stadium. But it probably does overall.

It makes sense, to me at least, to prioritise the town to the ground section in the couple of hours before a game.

By the time a tram has come from Altrincham to the ground, it could probably have done three shuttle runs between town and the ground.

I've been told the reasoning behind this is that a lot of young professionals live in the New Islington/ Ancoats area and commute to and from Salford Quays and Media City, hence why the weekday peak service operates Media City to the Etihad to double the frequency of the Ashton to Eccles service.

 

[paulchapo]

It might not be ideal for people travelling specifically between a station on the Altrincham line and the stadium. But it probably does overall.

It makes sense, to me at least, to prioritise the town to the ground section in the couple of hours before a game.

By the time a tram has come from Altrincham to the ground, it could probably have done three shuttle runs between town and the ground.

Except they don't. You're often waiting for ages at Cornbook for a tram going to the stadium to turn up.