A campaign promoting the easiest ways to get into and around Manchester this Christmas was launched yesterday.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), in partnership with Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester and CityCo, is launching its festive travel campaign.
Highlighting the best ways for people to get to the many exciting events and attractions on offer in Greater Manchester over the Christmas period, the colourful campaign launches the same week as the world famous markets return to Manchester city centre.
There will be competitions and, like all good Christmases, there will be some familiar faces and a few surprises in store as well.
The visuals feature Santa riding on a Metrolink tram and encourage people to ditch the sleigh and use free park and ride sites, as well as the free city centre Metroshuttle buses, to get to the markets, shops, theatres, cafes, galleries and all the other attractions on offer.
To find out more, visit www.metrolink.co.uk/christmas
TfGM has also launched today (Friday) a weekly Travel Update email subscription service to help people plan journeys in Greater Manchester each week. The launch edition covers Friday 13 November to Thursday 19 November.
The launch of the Christmas campaign follows the suspension of bus priority works on Portland Street until the new year, and Princess Street being opened to two-way traffic from the Mancunian Way to Major Street – both of which support journeys through the city during the busy festive period.
Work also continues apace to open the new Exchange Square Metrolink stop in December – providing an exciting and striking new feature in a major city centre district.
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: “We’re busy transforming our transport network to prepare for the phenomenal growth we’re already starting to see in the region – but we know how vital the festive period is to the businesses that are the lifeblood of our bustling city centre economy.
“So I’m pleased we’ve been able to postpone some major works in the city whilst also accelerating the launch of the Metrolink spur to Exchange Square, in order to welcome the many thousands of people who’ll descend on the city in the coming weeks.
“In launching this campaign we’re reinforcing the message that Greater Manchester is open for business as usual while we transform the transport network.
“Our message is clear: come and have a fantastic time, celebrate everything that’s on offer, have a very merry, Manchester Christmas – but make sure you plan ahead so you can make the very most of it.”
Travel advice
A map of the Christmas Markets that gives visitors the best walking route through the attraction is available. For details of all the wonderful things to do in Manchester this Christmas, visit http://www.visitmanchester.com/.
The St Peter’s Square Metrolink stop is currently closed for transformation, but the markets are just a short walk from the Deansgate-Castlefield, Piccadilly Gardens, Market Street, Shudehill and Victoria stops: www.metrolink.co.uk.
Northern Rail have announced that, due to the volume of people expected to be travelling to the markets, Deansgate Rail Station will be closed from 6pm every Friday and Saturday between 14 November and 19 December. The nearby Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink stop will be open as usual, as will Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria and Salford Central rail stations.
Northern and First TransPennine Express will be providing additional carriages on certain rail services at weekends during the markets.
The M62 will close overnight in both directions from 9pm to 10am between Junction 19 at Heywood and Junction 20 at Oldham on Saturdays 14, 21 & 28 November and Saturday 5 December for smart motorway upgrade work.
Information on public transport across Greater Manchester is available online at www.tfgm.com or by calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 (calls cost 12p per minute plus any network charges), with support available on Twitter at @OfficialTfGM and @MCRMetrolink.
