Last year when the Manchester Marathon took place it turned out to be a record-breaking day – and we don’t mean for any of the runners taking part! It was the busiest ever Sunday for the Metrolink network with 175,000 journeys made and with this year’s Marathon taking place on Sunday 27th April, TfGM are warning prospective passengers to plan ahead if they need to travel on the day.
36,000 runners are taking part in the Manchester Marathon which begins under the Trafford Arch and goes through areas such as Sale, Stretford and Timperley, before finishing against the spectacular backdrop of Manchester University on Oxford Road.
With many buses on diversion throughout Sunday, Metrolink is the best way to get to the Marathon – whether taking part or spectating – with many stops close to the route. This includes Sale, Timperley and Chorlton.
As many double trams as possible will be out on the network and there will also be an additional service running between Piccadilly and Timperley, boosting capacity on the Altrincham line. Trams will run every 7.5 minutes from Piccadilly to Timperley with a 15 minute double service running to Altrincham.
Danny Vaughan, Chief Network Director at TfGM, said: “The Manchester Marathon is a highlight of the Manchester city centre calendar and our job is to make sure everyone can get to and from the event as smoothly as possible.
“We want everyone to have a great day – whether they are taking on the run themselves or cheering on a friend or loved one – and would urge people to plan their journey in advance, leave plenty of time and check the Bee Network app or website for the most up-to-date information.
“The start and finish lines will be especially busy so if you are coming to watch you may be better off catching the tram to Sale, Timperley or Chorlton, grabbing a coffee and claiming afront row seat to cheer runners on.
“Using public transport is the best way to avoid congestion and delays – and with Tap and Go contactless payments it’s never been easier or more seamless to get around Greater Manchester by bus and tram.”