Metrolink to / from Etihad

[jrb]

2 Comments under the article.

was there on their opening performance with Elbow last night. Great to see this place open.

It’s nothing to look at architecturally, inside or out, but it is an asset for the city and I’m glad we have it.

Have to say, the public transport options were terrible, with Metrolink putting on no additional services or even making the trams double.

There were only single trams when we left last night, with about 5000 people waiting, one single 200 capacity car every 12 minutes and only a couple of services left before it shut down for the night.

Basically most people had to walk back to the city. Crazy how bad our public transport is in MCR.

That really lets venues like this down.

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The transport links should have been part of the plan and they had the data to prove it needed to be upgraded or more carriages made available after any event, as it is the same when leaving Man City's Ground after a match. God knows what it will be like when there is an event and a late match it will be complete chaos

Co-op Live opens as costs set to reach £450m - Place North West

After a series of high-profile delays, the highly anticipated Manchester arena opened its doors on Tuesday to host an Elbow concert.

www.placenorthwest.co.uk

 

[Alfie Budd]

You mean like this Sunday?

This Sunday shouldn’t be too much of an issue due the staggered timings. It’s evening kickoffs on the same nights as gigs that are potential recipes for disaster.

 

[Roachy]

It's embarassingly bad for a city the size of Manchester. An utterly terrible service. No wonder people don't want to get out of their cars.

Bad generally or just the Etihad service?

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

It's not fit for purpose for events with large crowds. God help us/it when a football game and a gig happen on the same day.
Instead of talking about extending it to other areas how about improving the routes they have? Like a fast, plentiful, regular and direct service to and from our ground and the new arena.

I’m hoping that it becomes a general view that the tram is shite (beyond us who already know). It’s how our country works, something has to be on its knees before anyone does anything about it.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

It doesn’t double the frequency of Ashton trams, still nominally every 12 minutes. Only suits the media wankers who live in ancoats and work at media city.

Something you have to watch with Metrolink is how they boast a 6min tram frequency. That’s a tram calling at either platform every 6mins on average, but that is still only every 12mins in each direction. Clever wording.

 

[JPAMCR]

Bad generally or just the Etihad service?

Generally.

 

[BlueAnorak]

It's very straight forward to fix, but Metrolink is seemingly incapable of fixing it.
For 1.5 hours belfore and after games/gigs everything that goes to Piccadilly should go to the Etihad.
Nope - far to difficult aparantly.

 

[Roachy]

Generally.

Prices are very good, and when all is running smooth a good service is there. However, there are some serious downsides. The Etihad service is nowhere near good enough. Regular engineering works are a total pain also. The network is plagued by mechanical and technical breakdowns on a far too regular basis though whether it be trams, points, OLE, IT systems etc. I can see why people are pissed off with it.

 

[Jazzyblue]

Bad generally or just the Etihad service?

You can guarantee on a matchday that there will be three trams to Bury for every one heading to the Etihad/Ashton/Piccadilly on the way out, and yet a series of empty doubles heading east long after the match is over and fans have left the ground. It’s not just a poor matchday service it’s dangerous, (if reasonably priced). If the new shuttle buses had a couple of extra stops in inner suburban Manchester they’d be better option for a lot of us.

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

You can guarantee on a matchday that there will be three trams to Bury for every one heading to the Etihad/Ashton/Piccadilly on the way out, and yet a series of empty doubles heading east long after the match is over and fans have left the ground. It’s not just a poor matchday service it’s dangerous, (if reasonably priced). If the new shuttle buses had a couple of extra stops in inner suburban Manchester they’d be better option for a lot of us.

Do they do trams direct to Bury from the Etihad after games? I thought they stopped those, but haven’t used it for years. I never see any going to the Etihad from Bury.