A number of road closures have been confirmed as Manchester city centre prepares for its first New Year’s Eve fireworks display in three years.
The hustle and bustle of Christmas has died down, Boxing Day has been and gone, nobody has a clue what day it is currently, and we’re all just waiting for New Year’s Eve to arrive, and for 2024 to bring new beginnings and a fresh start.
In what is the first time since 2019, and post the COVID-19 pandemic and several accompanying lockdowns, Manchester city centre is gearing up to host a “spectacular” fireworks display that will “say goodbye to the old and welcome in the new”.
Families from all across Greater Manchester are invited down to Castlefield Bowl in the heart of the city centre this Sunday 31 December for the “fun-filled event” that’s free to attend.
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Manchester city centre road closures have been confirmed for the New Year’s Eve fireworks display / Credit: Unsplash
Hosted in partnership wit Hits Radio, and kicking off from 10pm and running until the clock strikes midnight and beyond, you can expect a live DJ set from Hits Radio DJ Jordan Lee, a traditional time-to-hug-all-your-friends countdown to midnight, followed by a huge firework display to celebrate the start of the new year.
Capacity for the event is 10,000, and is being operated on a first-come first-served basis, the Council has confirmed.
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The event is also alcohol-free, standing only with no seating – except for disability access points and dedicated viewing areas – and anyone attending is asked to limit the bags they bring with them to no bigger than A4 in size, as bag searches will be in operation.
There will be some temporary road closures for our New Year's Eve event on 31 December.
Affected roads include:
🚗Castle Street 🚗Duke Place 🚗Rice Street 🚗Liverpool Road 🚗Duke Street 🚗Beaufort Street 🚗Castle Street
The Council says that, in order to ensure “a safe and celebratory event for all”, security staff will be keeping a close eye on revellers to minimise any disruption and allow everyone to see in the new year together, while being mindful that this part of the city centre has a large residential population by making sure the event arena is promptly cleared after the fireworks display is finished.
To best accommodate the event and everyone attending, the following road closures and parking suspensions have been confirmed ahead of time.
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Road Closures
Duke Place (Duke Street – Arena): 8:30pm – 1am
Rice Street (Duke Street – Arena): 8:30pm – 12:45am (resident vehicles managed in and out of closure)
It’s the first fireworks display in the city centre since 2019 / Credit: Alex Jones (via Unsplash)
“We think the time is now right to show how proud we are of our fantastic city, and to celebrate it as we close the door on 2023 and look ahead to 2024 and beyond,” explained Councillor Pat Karney, who is Manchester City Council’s Christmas and New Year spokesperson, as he confirmed the return of the annual new year tradition.
“Mancunians really are the best people in the world, and we can’t think of a better way of welcoming in a new year filled with new possibilities for all of us than spending it with those we love.”
Customer access to all businesses within the closures will be maintained on the night of New Year’s Eve (31 December), Manchester City Council has confirmed.
More information about the event, and road closures planned can be found on the Council website.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”