With the Manchester Marathon taking place on Sunday 14th April it was a day of personal bests – and we’re not just talking about the runners who took part! The route of the marathon took participants through parts of south Manchester and with Metrolink serving these areas it was well placed to carry the crowds – and that it did with 175,000 journeys recorded on the trams.
This was the highest ever number of passengers recorded on a single Sunday throughout the 30 year history of Metrolink and it was also the eighth busiest day ever recorded on the network.
The previous Sunday best was 145,000 which was also for the Manchester Marathon (the 2023 edition for that figure) – meaning this year’s figure is some 20% higher.
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Head of Metrolink, said: “As always we are delighted to support the Marathon, which is one of the highlights of our events calendar here in Greater Manchester.
“To have smashed our record for the number of passenger journeys made on a Sunday for a second year in a row, and with it being during the Marathon again, is truly special. I think this shows just how important Metrolink is for people living in our region, but also those visiting too.
“I want to thank everyone who chose to travel on Metrolink on race day, as well as the race organisers and partners who helped deliver another fantastic event.
“But I also want to say a huge thanks to our staff behind the scenes and on the frontline, and in particular the two Metrolink employees who looked after a runner who was taken ill onboard a tram on the day and helped him get home safely.”
Metrolink was busiest in the morning ahead of the start of the race and then in the early afternoon after it had finished. The Altrincham, Bury, East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines were the busiest.