Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is gearing up to support the national commemoration of the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
A series of events, produced by Manchester City Council on behalf HM Government, are being held across the city on 1 July 2016, to remember and honour those who fought and died or were injured in one of the most devastating wars in history.
Its first day of conflict remains the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army.
The commemorative events include a remembrance service at Manchester Cathedral, a parade through the city centre and a remembrance walk to Heaton Park, followed by an evening of live performances.
With roads and all public transport modes expected to be extremely busy, commuters, visitors and businesses are being urged to plan and prepare their journeys.
TfGM is working closely with operators and other partners to plan for the day: there will be extra trams and trains operating; extra staff on the ground and signed walking routes across the city.
To help make travel easier, TfGM has developed web pages providing specific advice to those wanting to take part in the events, as well as those visiting the city for other reasons, commuters and local businesses.
There will be road closures in place throughout the day until 4pm. Diversion routes will be signposted but demand on roads in and around the city centre, including key corridors, is expected to be significantly higher than normal. Drivers are advised to allow plenty of extra time to make journeys and avoid driving across the city centre unnecessarily by using other parts of the inner ring road or the M60.
Bus services in and out of the city centre will also be affected and passengers are advised to allow extra time to make their journeys. Metroshuttle services will operate from the start of service until 10am. They will recommence once the road closures have been lifted – at approximately 4pm – to the end of service. Between 10am and 4pm Metroshuttle buses will run between Piccadilly and Deansgate-Castlefield.
There are a number of park and ride sites, catering for bus, tram and train services, available across the region. Services will be busier than usual throughout the day and people should, again, consider travelling outside the peak periods.
Those with a short commute could consider walking or cycling, while event spectators and visitors to the city are asked to avoid the morning peak and aim to arrive after 9.30am.
Where possible, businesses are being advised to make their staff aware, allow flexibility to assist with travel plans and consider rearranging any deliveries to another date.
There will be no cross-city Metrolink journeys on the day as work continues on building a brand new St Peter’s Square stop and the Eccles line will also be closed for essential track maintenance. A replacement bus service will be in operation, running between Piccadilly train station and Eccles, calling at all stops except Piccadilly Gardens, Deansgate-Castlefield, Pomona, Anchorage and Broadway.
TfGM’s Events Manager John Fryer, said: “The events to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Somme are of national importance. The eyes of the nation – and indeed the World – will be on Manchester on 1 July, as we honour and remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“We’re working with our partners to plan for the day so whether you want to get involved with the events and remember our fallen heroes, are heading in or out of work or visiting for other purposes, we’ll be on hand to get you where you need to go.
“It’s going to be extremely busy across all modes and on the roads so I’d ask that commuters, spectators and participants plan ahead, allow more time and think about how they are going to make their journey. Simply leaving the car at home or changing journey times will help ease congestion and keep people moving.”
TransPennine Express Customer Experience Director, Kathryn O’Brien, commented: “We are delighted that we are able to support Manchester as it hosts the national commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. We are advising customers that services and stations are expected to be busier than normal and to allow extra time to complete their journeys. We will have additional staff out to support the event and look forward to welcoming regular and non-regular customers to our services.”
At 7:28am on Friday 1 July, the UK will hold a national two minute silence to mark the moment the first wave of soldiers went over the top during the battle.
For information on public transport across Greater Manchester visit www.tfgm.com, call 0161 244 1000 (7am-8pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am-8pm at weekends and bank holidays) or follow @OfficialTfGM on Twitter.
For more information on Metrolink services visit www.metrolink.co.uk, call Metrolink Customer Services on 0161 205 2000 or follow @MCRMetrolink for live travel updates.
