Metrolink to / from Etihad

[staffsblue]

Yesterday for me was the usual fiasco going to the game, a better result going home but that was because I walked into Piccadilly station.

Going I got off a packed tram from Altrincham at an already busy Cornbrook with lots of others. As we waited at least four trams arrived and disembarked loads more passengers. One of these was a tram that said it was terminating there and went off empty. I was not the only one who probably wondered why it couldn't just go to the stadium and relive the growing crush on the platform. Inevitably when the Ashton tram did finally arrive we were rammed in there like sardines. When we got to Piccadilly the usual pushing and shouting of "Move up, move up!" started as people tried to get onto an already dangerously overcrowded tram. Unless you have a seat it is a truly awful experience.

Coming back I walked from the ground into Piccadilly station and luckily an empty Altrincham tram arrived in two minutes so that was a great result.

Surely on matchdays in the two hour window post and pre match metrolink could improve the frequency of trams going to and from the stadium? It would help if they at least just ran every tram that was going into Piccadilly train station the extra few stops to the ground then turned them around. Is that too much to ask?

They did appear to do what you suggested yesterday. I caught a Media City to Ashton tram from Cornbrook yesterday at 13:30ish & easily got a seat. There was a special to the Etihad shown on the departure board 3 mins behind that.
Coming back, I got on a special bound for Trafford Bar, and there was another one heading to the "turnround loop" as we boarded.
I know it is dire sometimes, but it seemed like they planned in extra capacity yesterday.
The ones that currently terminate at Cornbrook are from the Trafford Centre. I understand these will be extended through the city centre shortly to somewhere on the Bury line (Crumpsall?) once the turnback faculties are commissioned.

 

[Northerndave]

Yesterday for me was the usual fiasco going to the game, a better result going home but that was because I walked into Piccadilly station.

Going I got off a packed tram from Altrincham at an already busy Cornbrook with lots of others. As we waited at least four trams arrived and disembarked loads more passengers. One of these was a tram that said it was terminating there and went off empty. I was not the only one who probably wondered why it couldn't just go to the stadium and relive the growing crush on the platform. Inevitably when the Ashton tram did finally arrive we were rammed in there like sardines. When we got to Piccadilly the usual pushing and shouting of "Move up, move up!" started as people tried to get onto an already dangerously overcrowded tram. Unless you have a seat it is a truly awful experience.

Coming back I walked from the ground into Piccadilly station and luckily an empty Altrincham tram arrived in two minutes so that was a great result.

Surely on matchdays in the two hour window post and pre match metrolink could improve the frequency of trams going to and from the stadium? It would help if they at least just ran every tram that was going into Piccadilly train station the extra few stops to the ground then turned them around. Is that too much to ask?

Paul, you must have been on the same platform at Cornbrook as me at the same time. Got a double from Sale to Cornbrook with 90 mins to go before KO and then waited 20-25+ minutes while trams for every other destination on the network arrived, all the while the platform got busier and busier, including the mysterious terminating here single tram.

Suddenly a double to Ashton announced with 5 mins, when it arrived it was already rammed, luckily got onto one of those standing / seat things.

No specials run to the Etihad as far as I could see yesterday. Took a total of 90 mins to travel 7-8 miles.

Coming back, I waited at the StarBar while the queues for the Met went down (no doubt helped by the 10,000 who departed at 80 mins yesterday....at full time it was a disgrace the state of the empty stadium....we are now worse than United used to be and we used to rip them to shit over it)....then got a packed double to Trafford Bar but changed at Deansgate for the relatively empty double from Bury to Altrincham, so not too bad getting back home.

 

[paulchapo]

Paul, you must have been on the same platform at Cornbrook as me at the same time. Got a double from Sale to Cornbrook with 90 mins to go before KO and then waited 20-25+ minutes while trams for every other destination on the network arrived, all the while the platform got busier and busier, including the mysterious terminating here single tram.

Suddenly a double to Ashton announced with 5 mins, when it arrived it was already rammed, luckily got onto one of those standing / seat things.

No specials run to the Etihad as far as I could see yesterday. Took a total of 90 mins to travel 7-8 miles.

Coming back, I waited at the StarBar while the queues for the Met went down (no doubt helped by the 10,000 who departed at 80 mins yesterday....at full time it was a disgrace the state of the empty stadium....we are now worse than United used to be and we used to rip them to shit over it)....then got a packed double to Trafford Bar but changed at Deansgate for the relatively empty double from Bury to Altrincham, so not too bad getting back home.

Dave it was a disgrace getting to the game by tram yesterday as it always seems to be. Lots of this problem could be alleviated by just running the Altrincham tram directly to the stadium on matchdays. It also eases the queues at St Peters square, the city centre and Piccadilly train station along the way. Increase the frequency from twelve minutes to six minutes in the two hour windows either side of the game. The people who run the system have to be either complete morons, United fans or non football fans. Give the city a transport system that belies its status.

 

[paulchapo]

They did appear to do what you suggested yesterday. I caught a Media City to Ashton tram from Cornbrook yesterday at 13:30ish & easily got a seat. There was a special to the Etihad shown on the departure board 3 mins behind that.
Coming back, I got on a special bound for Trafford Bar, and there was another one heading to the "turnround loop" as we boarded.
I know it is dire sometimes, but it seemed like they planned in extra capacity yesterday.
The ones that currently terminate at Cornbrook are from the Trafford Centre. I understand these will be extended through the city centre shortly to somewhere on the Bury line (Crumpsall?) once the turnback faculties are commissioned.

You must have got lucky because this was not my experience or @Northerndave either yesterday.

 

[Blue Mist]

I got a taxi from Piccadilly to the ground as the met didn't seem to be bothering with a service.

 

[Roachy]

Ballsed up again to the Etihad.

 

[JGL07]

The tram service today was the best I can ever remember. After the match we went straight through to the platform.

 

[staffsblue]

The tram service today was the best I can ever remember. After the match we went straight through to the platform.

No issues there and back today. Walked straight into a special at Cornbrook outward, and had minimal queuing on the return too. Seats in both directions too.

 

[paulchapo]

No issues there and back today. Walked straight into a special at Cornbrook outward, and had minimal queuing on the return too. Seats in both directions too.

Touched lucky yesterday. Disembarked the Altrincham tram at Cornbrook and after thinking "Oh no!" Seeing nothing on the board for the ground suddenly two direct to the stadium popped up after five minutes. The one I was on was empty so I actually got a seat.

 

[marl0we]

Terrible pre match from Ashton yesterday. The board said a tram was coming but it never showed. Eventually everyone piled onto the bus which arrived just before kick off but pretty poor really esp considering there was no announcement