Even before last weekend’s insane scenes, which left people ‘trapped’ inside a multi-storey, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) had issued some travel advice.
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@MENnewsdesk I think have officially broken the record for the longest time trying to exit the Arndale Car Park on Saturday 26th November. It took us 5 hours 3 minutes to get from Level 12 to the exit. It is not fit for purpose Manchester Council!! FUMING! pic.twitter.com/VK6sTBX9N2
They said that the same weekend last year saw an 11% increase in peak journey times, with between 3pm and 7pm the busiest part of the day.
The first weekend of the Christmas Markets this year reportedly led to a 7% increase in vehicles around the city centre.
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TfGM encouraged people to use public transport or active travel wherever possible, predicting a massive upswing in visitor numbers coming to the city to shop, eat, drink, attend concerts and see the Christmas Markets.
TfGM outlined a few options available to cope with the increase in trips in the festive season.
Travel advice has been issued for the festive season. Credit: TfGM
There are thousands of free park and ride sites around Greater Manchester’s Metrolink network, with family tickets offering travel for one to three children and one or two adults from as little as £3.60.
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The new bus fare cap is in place now too, so a single trip will never cost more than £2 (or £1 for a child).
Congestion has increased in the city centre and inner ring road, with car trips returning back to pre-pandemic levels and some big road layouts that leave less space for cars (like the pedestrianisation of the Northern Quarter).
Travel advice for drivers is as follows:
Drive at a quieter time – this means avoiding driving to and around the city after 12pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and between 3pm and 7pm during the week.
Know where road congestion may be – our data shows that journeys along the Mancunian Way typically have higher journey times during the week, and journeys along the northern section of the Inner Ring Road (Great Ancoats Street) have higher journey times at the weekend.
Take a different route – if you need to drive across the city at the weekend, it may be quicker to use Alan Turing Way/Mancunian Way.
Park on the same side of the city as your route if you can – driving across the city can add additional time to your journey, so if it’s an option for you, park in a car park closest to your route out of the city centre.
Check for quicker routes before every car journey on Google, Waze and other Apps. You can also use TfGM’s journey planner.
TfGM’s Get on Board Christmas campaign has helpfully mapped out festive offerings around the region – from food to free things to family activities – and includes travel advice on how to get there.
TfGM’s Head of Highways, Peter Boulton, said: “We want everyone coming to enjoy the many great attractions that the city centre and Trafford Centre have to offer to enjoy the festivities and have a great time.
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“The number of trips on our roads is back to where they were before the pandemic and that is leading to added congestion at key times – which means more people stuck in traffic.
“To avoid this, we’d encourage people to plan their journey by thinking about how they plan to get in, around and out of the city centre.
“Public transport is a great option, with frequent services and great value products as well as plenty of staff and information on hand to help you plan the perfect journey.”
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council, said: “It has been great to see people returning to Manchester to enjoy what the festive season has to offer.
“We are expecting it to be increasingly busy the closer we get to Christmas which is why we’d urge people to plan ahead before they travel and stay up to date with the region’s transport network through the TfGM website.
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“We’d encourage people to use public transport as much as possible when travelling into Manchester as it is the most environmentally friendly method, as well as the best way of beating the traffic.”
Featured image:TfGM
Travel & Tourism
The UK’s first FLOATING sauna has opened just an hour from Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The UK’s first-ever public floating sauna, where you can go straight from luxury sauna to outdoor wild swimming, has opened just an hour from Manchester.
Wyld Sauna is home to a 30-person sauna, ice baths, luxury changing rooms and direct access straight into one of the North West’s most iconic bodies of water.
There are also two cold waterfall showers, four heated outdoor showers to salt rubs, and changing rooms decked out with Dyson hair dryers, lockers, mirrors and swimsuit dryers.
The unique experience has opened in the last month on Princes Dock in our neighbouring Liverpool, created by friends Jon Miller and Tom Berendsen.
The 42-year-old pair wanted to create a floating sauna that blends the ‘serenity of nature with the urban vibrancy of the city’.
Wyld is bringing traditional Nordic saunas to modern life, in a communal environment that’s suitable for everyone from novices to long-time devotees of hot and cold therapy.
Wyld Sauna floats on the water with views of the Liverpool skyline.
Princes Dock has grown in popularity as a natural swimming spot in recent years, with a growing community of open-water enthusiasts taking the plunge here.
Wyld, the UK’s first FLOATING sauna has opened just an hour from Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Visitors to Wyld will have direct access to the water (which is regularly tested and has life guards) from a private pontoon.
Jon Miller, Co-Founder of Wyld Sauna, explained: “We’ve always believed in the power of saunas – not just for physical health, but for building community and creating moments of calm in our busy lives.
“Wyld is our way of making that experience accessible to as many people as possible. Our mission is to bring the best of the Nordic sauna tradition to Liverpool, where anyone can come, unwind, and reconnect – whether it’s their first sauna or their hundredth.”
Tom Berendsen, Co-Founder, added: ”Princes Dock is the perfect setting for Wyld. Being on the water adds another layer to the experience, with the city skyline on one side and the calm of the dock on the other.
“It’s a place where nature and urban life meet, which is exactly what Wyld is all about. We’re very excited to be opening the UK’s first floating sauna, right here in the heart of this beautiful city that’s steeped in heritage and culture.”
Liza Marco, Senior Asset Manager for Liverpool Waters commented: “We are very excited for Wyld to open at Princes Dock next month. It is the perfect location for such a fantastic and luxurious experience on the water, surrounded by some of Liverpool’s most iconic buildings.
“Princes Dock is a popular and growing destination with more people now living and working there, and an increasing number of visitors to its bars, cafes, restaurants, and hotels.
“Wyld Sauna will be a great addition to the Dock alongside the open water swimming, canoeing and yoga already on offer there and we look forward to seeing everyone enjoying themselves in this fabulous location.”
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.
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.
Manchester Christmas Markets are in full swing and Paul McCartney will be at Co-op Live this weekend / Credit: The Manc Group | Wikimedia Commons
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.
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.
Disney On Ice will be hosting four shows at AO Arena this weekend / Credit: Supplied
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.
The Park and Ride is available to customers with a valid tram ticket purchased on the app, at a ticket machine or via contactless.
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.
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.
Daisy Jackson -
2nd December 2022 
