People travelling through Manchester city centre this Saturday are advised that roads and public transport will be extremely busy as around 50,000 spectators line the route of the annual Manchester Pride parade.
People travelling into the city are advised that public transport will be the quickest and most efficient way of travelling over the Pride weekend.
To help people over the weekend, staff from Transport for Greater Manchester, Metrolink and bus operators will join Greater Manchester Police in managing traffic across the city.
As always, people wishing to travel into the city over the course of the weekend should plan their journey in advance, know their options and allow additional time for travel.
Bus
Over the course of the weekend, and in particular during the parade on Saturday, bus services will be operating on diversion routes. Most bus services will be relocated to stops around the city.
On Saturday 27 August, during the parade, most services will be suspended or operating on diversion routes.
Information will be clearly signposted at bus stops and passengers should allow longer for their journey.
To help people get around the city, from 12 to 5pm the Metroshuttle bus service will be rerouted to provide a free shuttle bus service between Piccadilly Gardens (Parker Street) and Oxford Road (Manchester Aquatics Centre).
Metrolink
From the first tram on Friday 26 August to the last service on Monday 29 August, all Pride wristband wearers can travel by tram, free of charge, between participating ‘City Zone’ stops, including Deansgate-Castlefield, Market Street, Shudehill, Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly.
Subject to final testing and commissioning, a brand new, bigger and better tram stop is due to open in the city centre’s St Peter’s Square during the Bank Holiday weekend, meaning some changes to services are possible.
At the same time, services between Eccles and MediaCityUK will be restored following rail replacement work. Until then bus replacement services will continue to keep north-south city links.
Metrolink will have staff at city centre stops to help customers and information will be posted at City Zone stops to make it clear where Pride wristband wearers can travel to and from for free.
Rail
People travelling by train are advised to check times before setting off.
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