City Centre
Snappy Runners
AJ Handley-Rowe -
16th June 2022
AJ Handley-Rowe -
16th June 2022 City Centre
Manchester set for its busiest weekend of the year with pop-up Park and Rides to open
Emily Sergeant
Pop-up Park and Ride facilities are set to open as Manchester prepares for what’s expected to be its busiest weekend of the year.
The festive season in the run up to Christmas always sees more people flock to the city centre than usual, but this weekend will likely be even busier than expected, as not only are Manchester Christmas Markets still in full swing, but there are also a number of gigs, live festive shows, and major sporting events coinciding with this.
Paul McCartney plays Co-op Live on Sunday night, the AO Arena hosts five showings of the ever-popular Disney on Ice across the weekend, and Manchester City face Manchester United in a Premier League showdown at the Etihad too.
So in a weekend that sees legends gigging and the Manchester Derby take place, as you would expect, thousands are predicted to flock to Manchester city centre and Etihad Campus.
Because of this, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is taking action and encouraging people to dodge the likely congestion and use public transport instead where possible – with pop-up Park and Rides set to be introduced for weekend shoppers and fun-seekers who do want or need to drive.
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On Saturday and Sunday, Booth Street West Car Park D (M15 6PD) – which will have 965 parking spaces available – will be free for customers travelling to the city centre by bus, and then again on Sunday, the same car park will be free for those attending Paul McCartney at Co-op Live.
Your ticket to the gig must be shown on entry, before a dedicated shuttle bus then takes you from the car park to the Etihad Campus.
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Shuttle buses – which are only available on the Sunday – will depart from Higher Cambridge Street and run to Co-op Live and back every 15 mins from 4pm until midnight.
Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground (Talbot Road, Stretford, M16 0PX) will also have 500 parking spaces available for Metrolink customers on Sunday, but you must show a valid pre-booked tram ticket to park there.
On Sunday [15 Dec], we’re offering free parking at Emirates Old Trafford to help relieve congestion in the city.
— Bee Network (@BeeNetwork) December 11, 2024
The Park and Ride is available to customers with a valid tram ticket purchased on the app, at a ticket machine or via contactless.
More: https://t.co/mbuokt9czQ pic.twitter.com/MA4d6O9rUM
Anyone else planning to drive across the weekend may also want to consider using one of the permanent Park and Ride sites and complete their journey on foot or by public transport, and you can find more information and the locations of these sites on the Bee Network website here.
Tram capacity has been increased for the festive season, with every available tram running until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The V1 and 36 bus services now also run 24 hours a day.
Read more:
- Everything you need to know about Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
- Inside the incredible immersive David Hockney experience that’s just opened in Manchester
- Thousands flock to Manchester city centre for the annual Christmas Parade
Other late-running buses on the Bee Network from Manchester include the 43 service to Manchester Airport, the 86 to Sale, and the 142 to East Didsbury.
All public transport live departure times can be found on the Bee Network website.
Featured Image – TfGM
City Centre
There’s some FREE festive craft workshops taking place at MediaCity this Christmas
Thomas Melia
A handful Christmas-inspired workshops are happening down at MediaCity, and lots of them are free to take part in.
Starting tomorrow (11 December), anyone who’s looking to get artsy in the run up to the big day can try their hand at three different Christmas activities, and have a go at making and creating items to keep and treasure forever.
There’s a free ‘Bauble Bar’ where you can learn how to make those brilliant hanging ornaments that make your tree gorgeous.
This workshop is suitable for all skill sets, which means you don’t have to be the next Da Vinci to design one of these little trinkets, as a friendly host will be walking round the class to help everyone make a beautiful creation to take home with them.
The second free event is a Christmas card making workshop, where there will be stationery provided for you to create some cute and snazzy designs, so get ready to freestyle your own drawings if you’re confident, or hone your craft by following the range of patterns and templates that will be on-hand for you to trial.
This final crafty class gives visitors the opportunity to create a two-layer wreath that’s sure to become part of your annual festive decor.
The ‘Christmas Wreath Making’ class provides all the materials you could need, but due to the cost of this, this isn’t a free event and tickets are a reasonable £10 instead.
All of these fun Christmas activities are happening at innovative event space, Hot House, which is designed to host creative workshops like these festive-themed crafts.
Although the ‘Bauble Bar’ and the ‘Christmas Card Making Workshop’ are both free, booking a ticket to secure your space is still required.
Read more:
- A family-friendly New Year’s Eve rave for kids is happening in Manchester
- Lyme Park’s enchanting animal-themed Christmas event returns
- Alternative Christmas Markets you need to visit in Manchester this year
Everyone interested in any event or all three can book a ticket to here.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image – Supplied
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