Overcrowding on trams from Etihad

[Deleted member 58678]

Transport links from our ground are for about 20-25000 attendances. It was bad even with the Met when we had 40-45000 attendances. Now we have 50+000 attendances it is a joke. It's not even that much better for Old Trafford (i go to the SL Grand Final there every year), the thing is there is that there are two different lines operating around the ground.

For both stadiums i find the easiest way to get back to town is to walk.

At City there should be a route to town that is shut off to cars and there should be a line of buses and taxis that can use that route only. There should be Mets (doubles only) and for an hour there should be one every 3 minutes. There then should be an underground or another type of overground rail route.

How can walking over 2 miles be the quickest way to get somewhere no matter how many people are there. Could you ever imagine this being the case in somewhere like Germany or Japan?

 

[Deleted member 58678]

Thing is mate I would be stewarding their on a Saturday..then heading to a night job in town with maybe an hour or hour and half to get a bite to eat and sit down. There'd be maybe 50 young workers around the 16,17 year old age group having gone to the etihad for maybe 4 or 5 hours work at £6 per hour. They pay their bus fare, buy a sarnie and drink and are then expected to stand in the cold for 2 hours waiting for a crap transport service. No wonder the fans complain about crap service at the stadium by showsec or the bars because people leave these jobs as its not worth these crap conditions. People who are paid big money to sort out transport logistics aren't doing their job. I don't like swaering but its FUCKING DISGRACEFUL.

Excellent point!

 

[Gray]

The main one is this St Peter's square fiasco. The amount of time,money and disruption caused to 'upgrade' this stop for what?? I just don't get it.All anyone wants to do is to get from A to B as quickly and safely as possible,comfort being a bonus.I can't wait to see what over two years of hell while this stop is completed turns out like!

Yes months of disruption for the "Second City Crossing" - big deal it provides just one (yes one) extra stop at Exchange Square.

What is the bloody point of that?

 

[Citizen of Legoland]

Yes months of disruption for the "Second City Crossing" - big deal it provides just one (yes one) extra stop at Exchange Square.

What is the bloody point of that?

The current trams often get stuck around Piccadilly gardens especially at rush hour. A broken down tram around there can bring the whole system to its knees. A second crossing should allow trams to continue running.

That's the real reason for it.

 

[kev20971]

Yes new rail stations will cost millions (not sure how 2 platforms cost millions ?) but something like this is needed, with the football season lasting from Aug to May with crowds of 50,000 plus ( maybe going upto 60,000 plus with a North Stand expansion) then pop concerts on in the summer getting 60,000 plus, I bet a new station next to the ground would have a higher number of people using it then a lot of suburban stations around Manchester.

 

[Johnny Mars Bar]

I get the tram to and from most games - its always rammed, but thats to be expected. Generally find the Metrolink staff to be pretty helpful most of the time.

Usually to avoid the worst queues after the game I just have a pint or two at City Sq..

Certainly better than driving IMO - either having to fork out a fortune to park, or park miles away.

Not every ground has the kind of public transport infrastructure that we do, so we should put it into perspective really. £3 return for a tram that takes you right into the stadium - not bad that in the grand scheme of things.

The "queue jump" thing pisses me off though. Not sure who that's actually for?

 

[kev20971]

I've been told the line is a freight line rather than a passenger line. - Not sure what difference that really makes.
They considered re-opening Park station for the Commonwealth Games but the cost of getting it up to standard was too high. Also, I think the platforms were far too narrow which is one of the reasons Ahsburys has never been advertised for use on a match day.

Some of the people that organize the transport in Greater Manchester are shocking , To think you get the Commonwealth Games in 2002, then in the years before you shut rail stations down (Park 1995) start work on a replacement Metrolink line and fail to finish it in time for the games (finally opened 10 years later).

 

[Gray]

The "queue jump" thing pisses me off though. Not sure who that's actually for?

That is for people who buy the match day metrolink season ticket, if you are paying per game you should consider buying one.

I have a concessionary pass because of my age so have to queue up in the sheep pens.

You are correct that the cost is good value, I never disputed that, it is just the inefficiency of the Metrolink that pisses me off.

 

[blue corby]

I agree it's good value but as I'm disabled it's a nightmare trying to get on and off the trams. You get the odd person helping you get on and off but most people just try to shove on knocking others out the way.

 

[Why Always Ste]

Yes new rail stations will cost millions (not sure how 2 platforms cost millions ?) but something like this is needed, with the football season lasting from Aug to May with crowds of 50,000 plus ( maybe going upto 60,000 plus with a North Stand expansion) then pop concerts on in the summer getting 60,000 plus, I bet a new station next to the ground would have a higher number of people using it then a lot of suburban stations around Manchester.

This is a good point Kev.

I reckon more people will use the Etihad Campus stop now than say other stops such as Besses Oth' The Barn.

The real cause for congestion is that a large amount of fans will use their cars (including myself)
when the option for the Tram is available...

Even though I bought the Tram Season Ticket I'm still finding myself driving there because of how unreliable the Tram service is.

Improve the reliability of the Trams with more Double-Units, Possible club incentives to not use a car?
Maybe add loyalty points to the metrolink season ticket :P

The club could push the use of Public Transport more though, and encourage us to use it.
Go on Sheikh... Etihad Monorail please :D