Metrolink to / from Etihad

matchdaybus said:
Hi everyone, there’s a few important changes to transport ahead of the forthcoming Liverpool and Arsenal games that we want you to be aware of.

Liverpool – 12.45pm on Saturday 4 April.

Extensive Metrolink works are taking place over the Easter weekend at Deansgate-Castlefield and Trafford Bar.

  • No trams will operate on the Eccles, Trafford Centre and Altrincham lines.
  • Services operating on the East Didsbury/Manchester Airport lines will terminate at Firswood.
  • Services operating on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
  • Trams will be operating to the ground from Piccadilly Station and Ashton as normal.

This will obviously have a massive impact on fans travelling to the match from the south of the city, so we want to make sure everyone is aware of the changes and plans ahead. Details of these works are now on our website: tfgm.com/tram-improvement-works/easter-bank-holiday-tram-works

We will have replacement bus services operating along the affected routes – such as Chorlton to Piccadilly/Altrincham to Piccadilly etc. However, fans along the affected routes will probably find it easier to take the match day bus direct to the ground rather than use these. For example, rather than fans travelling from Didsbury/Withington to Chorlton, to then board a replacement bus, and then a tram from Piccadilly to the ground, it would make more sense to use the direct match day bus.

To help mitigate the extra demand that we expect to see for this game, we are adding additional buses on the 5 and 10 routes – so there will be two departures.

For fans new to the service, all the details about the route and pricing are on our website: tfgm.com/man-city/bus-network

Arsenal – 4.30pm on Sunday 19 April.

On Sunday 19 April, the Manchester Marathon takes place – starting at Old Trafford, going into the city and then back out to Altrincham before going north through Chorlton and finishing on Oxford Road.

Extensive road closure will be in place, some of which will affect the match day buses. The 5, 9, 9X, 10, 16 and 16H will need to be re-routed due to these closures.

We are currently in the process of working through these diversions and will publish the revised routes and timetables shortly.

We are also conscious that the road closures will likely result in more congestion, so we will be factoring in some additional time which may mean your bus departs earlier than usual. So please check the timetables closely!

Even more people are running in the marathon this year compared to previous years, so tram services will be extremely busy. We expect to see significant queues at Altrincham and Sale tram stops from around 12-3pm when runners will be passing through the area and spectators then make their way to the city centre to meet loved ones at the finish line. As a result, journeys could take more than half an hour longer and we strongly recommend you to travel much earlier than normal to avoid any disappointment – especially with it being such an important fixture.

Anyone travelling from Altrincham or Sale may want to consider using Match Day Bus 10 rather than the tram for this game.
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Thanks for sharing, very useful to know that well in advance.

But just so frustrating after the Piccadilly station closure affecting those two matches in February too. South Manchester again bearing the brunt so it seems. For that liverpool game two additional buses (150 seats?) seems like a drop in the ocean to the numbers normally using the trams for the game, but I guess it’s better than not having them.
 
chesterbells said:
Thanks for sharing, very useful to know that well in advance.

But just so frustrating after the Piccadilly station closure affecting those two matches in February too. South Manchester again bearing the brunt so it seems. For that liverpool game two additional buses (150 seats?) seems like a drop in the ocean to the numbers normally using the trams for the game, but I guess it’s better than not having them.
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MC5 will also have an additional service this starts in Timperley and has stops on Brooklands Road and in Sale Moor too so hopefully passengers distribute across both buses depending on the bus stops closest to them. There will also be replacement bus services on the day too.
 
Citizen of Legoland said:
Nothing planned for more sidings there considering the depot itself is just up the road. More likely it’s for material storage ready for work at Cornbrook.

What there IS talk of is building a turnback for Ashton originating trams where the old police station used to be immediately to the west of Asda. Mainly to help keep the frequency between Velopark and Ashton but it might improve the service Etihad to Piccadilly.
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Update. Defiantly a parking spot at Old Trafford. Track laid down but not fixed. Also noticed large section of ground cleared between Sale and Dane Road with bundles of rails. If it improve a Metrolink service fine but it gives fans leaving OT plenty of options whereas we are stuck with a piss poor service to and after the match. Last night was a joke. Kept broadcasting about Match and someone called Dave at Co.op. But wheres the extra Trams. You could ask yourself why City have not taken Metrolink to task over this appalling service. Could it be that they want everyone to arrive early and stay late to avoid being crammed into a Mumbai Commuter Train,especialy when the Square opens.
 
Wilmslow Road said:
Update. Defiantly a parking spot at Old Trafford. Track laid down but not fixed. Also noticed large section of ground cleared between Sale and Dane Road with bundles of rails. If it improve a Metrolink service fine but it gives fans leaving OT plenty of options whereas we are stuck with a piss poor service to and after the match. Last night was a joke. Kept broadcasting about Match and someone called Dave at Co.op. But wheres the extra Trams. You could ask yourself why City have not taken Metrolink to task over this appalling service. Could it be that they want everyone to arrive early and stay late to avoid being crammed into a Mumbai Commuter Train,especialy when the Square opens.
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I haven’t seen where this is but all that’s mentioned on TfGM’s website is that they are doing preparatory works at Trafford Bar over Easter ready for track replacement along the Altrincham line later this year. Some track replacement will happen over Easter along the route. Not saying you’re wrong though.

This comparison with the rags is not really equivalent. City went to a new stadium where there was no tram or train at all and that was their choice whereas that lot already had lines in place around them for decades. The area was developed. You can’t really expect the range of services between the two to be equal within 25 years, not when the issue for us has only become one in the last few years after we first expanded and then built the Coop with the new parking restrictions imposed.
 
Absolute shit show getting from Piccadilly to the Etihad last night , every tram dangerously over occupied and the gob shite staff do nothing to keep it safe , in fact the opposite at one point a double left but plenty of people still on the platform the next one was due in 7 mins but only a single so the staff shouting at everyone left behind to occupy an area on the platform half the size of that they were already crammed into but also continuing to allow more people up. Also as usual 4 double trams go through let every one off then " not stopping at this platform" , its literally only got one way to go out and that is past all the stops everyone needs to go to but they wont let anyone on and allow multiple double carriages to leave completely empty this is something I will never understand. We are told there is no capacity to increase trams on matchdays yet all these empty ones can surely shift some of the crowd and change to " not in service" once they get to the Etihad campus at which point 99% of people will be getting off anyway.
 
uwerosler28 said:
Absolute shit show getting from Piccadilly to the Etihad last night , every tram dangerously over occupied and the gob shite staff do nothing to keep it safe , in fact the opposite at one point a double left but plenty of people still on the platform the next one was due in 7 mins but only a single so the staff shouting at everyone left behind to occupy an area on the platform half the size of that they were already crammed into but also continuing to allow more people up. Also as usual 4 double trams go through let every one off then " not stopping at this platform" , its literally only got one way to go out and that is past all the stops everyone needs to go to but they wont let anyone on and allow multiple double carriages to leave completely empty this is something I will never understand. We are told there is no capacity to increase trams on matchdays yet all these empty ones can surely shift some of the crowd and change to " not in service" once they get to the Etihad campus at which point 99% of people will be getting off anyway.
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Four empty doubles sounds a lot but wouldn’t some (or all) be using the turnback at Sheffield Street to return to Bury? So not even reaching New Islington.
 
paulchapo said:
secretmanchester.com

Greater Manchester to face travel disruptions as Metrolink is set to undergo a massive £150m upgrade – full list of key dates, tram stops affected & alternative travel routes

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that it will be carrying out tram improvement works, causing some travel disruption.
secretmanchester.com secretmanchester.com
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The story claims the tram network is getting a massive upgrade for £150m. That's obviously total bollocks because the figure is too low. I would think that just doing basic maintenance for 12 months would cost more than that figure. The tram system in Greater Manchester needs billions spending on it just to make it fit for purpose and on a par with other developed countries. Our policians are just taking the piss out of all of us and no one in the media seems willing to challenge it.

EDIT: Just checked. The annual maintenance budget for Metrolink is £190m
 
paulchapo said:
secretmanchester.com

Greater Manchester to face travel disruptions as Metrolink is set to undergo a massive £150m upgrade – full list of key dates, tram stops affected & alternative travel routes

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that it will be carrying out tram improvement works, causing some travel disruption.
secretmanchester.com secretmanchester.com
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Use the tram every day for work and it works well mostly. The only issues are when there’s been a crash or adverse weather has impacted the route in some way.
 
HelloCity said:
Use the tram every day for work and it works well mostly. The only issues are when there’s been a crash or adverse weather has impacted the route in some way.
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My post wasn't anti metrolink its information of all the work they are doing in the next few months that will impact many users of the service.
 
Gray said:
Went to town from Navigation Road yesterday with my wife. At 10am they were running trams to the Etihad from Altrincham. What a strange organisation they are.
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Understand trams to Etihad from Altrincham have been introduced into the schedule 7 days a week until later this year.
 
Citizen of Legoland said:
I haven’t seen where this is but all that’s mentioned on TfGM’s website is that they are doing preparatory works at Trafford Bar over Easter ready for track replacement along the Altrincham line later this year. Some track replacement will happen over Easter along the route. Not saying you’re wrong though.

This comparison with the rags is not really equivalent. City went to a new stadium where there was no tram or train at all and that was their choice whereas that lot already had lines in place around them for decades. The area was developed. You can’t really expect the range of services between the two to be equal within 25 years, not when the issue for us has only become one in the last few years after we first expanded and then built the Coop with the new parking restrictions imposed.
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Apart from a few extra buses literally nothing has been done to improve any transport to and from the Etihad campus. Even the tram line was hugely delayed. Not even proper taxi access to the music venue with a capacity of 25,000. A total disgrace. Burnham was warned ten years ago and did fuck all.
 
bobbyowenquiff said:
Apart from a few extra buses literally nothing has been done to improve any transport to and from the Etihad campus. Even the tram line was hugely delayed. Not even proper taxi access to the music venue with a capacity of 25,000. A total disgrace. Burnham was warned ten years ago and did fuck all.
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Heard him on Radio Manchester with Mike Sweeney the other day for his regular phone in slot and zero mentions of this. I can’t believe people aren’t phoning up about it every time he’s on!
 
Gray said:
Just been reminded if that, thing they stop as the next season starts.
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The drivers agreed new shift patterns (which was sensible as the old ones had daft long shifts for such an important job) meaning there’s not enough drivers to cover the full system any more so they reduced the frequency of trams and tweaked the services. At the same time they are recruiting and training more drivers so hopefully will get back to the old frequencies but I don’t think it’s definite it will return exactly to previous after summer. They might even retain the new Etihad service pattern who knows.
 
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