Can Manchester rise to the UEFA transport challenge?

The City of Manchester Stadium plays host to the UEFA Cup Final tomorrow night and thousands of Rangers fans are expected to be making the trip down from Glasgow.  GMPTE is on the case for getting people to the stadium and have announced plans for additional bus services to and from the game.

Stagecoach will be running their usual special 216 journeys from Piccadilly to the ground all day from 0800 until kickoff at 1945.  Who needs to get there for 0800 we've no idea.  Maybe they want to hang out at Asda, play 'dodge the falling spikes' at B Of The Bang or gorge themselves on the stadium's gorgeous Chicken Balti pies?  Rail Replacement service specialists Faser Eagle will also be running special services from St Peter's Square.

Albert Square will be sealed off all day.  A special 'Fan Zone' will be set up there, meaning services 12, 32, 36, 37, 42A, 46, 47, 50, 191, 197, X40, X41, X43 and X44 will be re-routed.  Services 42A, 46, 47, 50, 191 and 197 will terminate at St Peters Square.  No word on the route for other diverted services, but Peter Street and Deansgate would be the obvious diversion for them.  Other Fan Zones are being set up in Piccadilly Gardens and Cathedral Gardens, but bus services will not be affected by these.

People traveling to Manchester without tickets are being encouraged to park at Old Trafford Cricket Ground and get the Metrolink into Manchester.  Obviously, the Metrolink won't cope well with so many extra passengers, so Fraser Eagle will also be running services between Old Trafford and the city centre.

So, can Manchester's transport infrastructure cope?  We'll find out in under 24 hours.  If you're in the city centre tomorrow and spot anything of interest let us know!  Take a photo if you can, too.

Comments

[JimmyMac]

Pleased to report no sign of major problems in Burnage.