Manchester Christmas lights switch-on

Thousands of people are expected to visit Manchester city centre on Friday 4 November for the Christmas Lights switch-on.

The switch-on party, predicted to attract 15,000 people to Albert Square, officially launches six weeks of festive celebrations and attractions in the city.

People travelling around Manchester city centre at the time are advised to plan ahead and give themselves plenty of time to reach their destination.

Buses, trams and trains are expected to be busier than usual in the afternoon and into the evening, and additional services will be running to cater for demand.

A number of road closures will be in place for the event, running from 3.45pm until 10pm, which will lead to diversions to the following bus services: 26, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 50, 14, 191, 197, V1, V2, X34 and X39.

Metrolink Trafford Park Line Extension Update

As you may be aware, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is proposing a Metrolink extension through Trafford Park. The Secretary of State for Transport has granted TfGM legal powers to build the new 5.5km line under a Transport and Works Act order. The delivery of the line will provide a major public transport boost for the area, offering fast, frequent transport links for thousands of workers in the area and better connecting people to business, leisure and retail opportunities.

Please click here to open a letter from TfGM with information regarding the extension. 

Metrolink update: Changes to services from 2.30pm

Metrolink will be running a revised service from 2.30pm today and providing additional bus services to offer the best possible transport links for customers, following a fault with the points at Cornbrook.

Despite the initial expectation that a short network-wide shutdown would be required this morning to investigate the fault, engineers managed to maintain services on most lines, with only trams on the Eccles line needing to stop for a short period of time.

No root cause for the fault has been identified and further work will be carried out outside of normal operating hours.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has worked with Metrolink to plan a revised service from 2.30pm today to ensure good transport links are in place for customers and events taking place across the network.

Tonight sees Manchester United take on Fenerbahce in a Europa League match at Old Trafford, while Justin Bieber plays the Manchester Arena.

The following Metrolink services will run until 2.30pm today:

• Bury – Etihad
• Ashton – Eccles via MediaCityUK. Metrolink tickets are also being accepted on the 33, 67 and 100 bus services.
• Altrincham – Piccadilly. Metrolink tickets are also being accepted on the 263 bus service.
• Bury – Altrincham (reduced service frequency)
• Rochdale – Exchange Square
• East Didsbury – Shaw & Crompton. Metrolink tickets are also being accepted on the 42 and 142 bus services.
• Airport – Cornbrook. Metrolink tickets can also be used on Northern Rail trains between Manchester Airport and Piccadilly Station.

From 2.30pm the following Metrolink services will run:

• Altrincham – Piccadilly (double trams)
• Altrincham – Bury (peak service until approximately 8pm)
• Bury – Etihad Campus (double trams )
• Eccles – MediaCityUK (no trams will operate beyond MCUK)
• East Didsbury – Shaw and Crompton (peak service until approximately 8pm, when services will terminate at Manchester Victoria as per normal timetable)
• East Didsbury – Deansgate-Castlefield (double trams until 8pm)
• Airport – Cornbrook
• Rochdale – Exchange Square
• Ashton - Piccadilly

In addition, shuttle buses will operate along the Eccles line this afternoon until end of service. This will be on an approximate 10-minute frequency between Piccadilly and MediaCityUK, calling at all stops except Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter’s Square and Pomona.

Customers using Metrolink replacement bus services from 2.30pm should purchase a ticket before boarding the bus from a machine on stop or via the get me there app.

Metrolink tickets are being accepted on the following commercial bus services for the rest of the day: 263, 42, 142, 33, 67 and 100.

For football fans heading to Old Trafford, bus services 250, 255, 256, 263 and X50 are all within walking distance of the ground and run to and from the main Piccadilly Gardens bus stops.

Rachel Spencer, TfGM Head of Metrolink Customer Service, said: “I’d like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience experienced today.

“We are working closely with the Metrolink operator, who is responsible for network maintenance and is investigating the nature of the fault, to ensure a speedy fix to the points fault impacting the Eccles junction at Cornbrook.

“In the meantime, we’ve looked at the best possible service we can run tonight to make sure people can get home, or out to events at Old Trafford and in the city.

“We’ll be running a strengthened Metrolink service, with more double trams on the Altrincham, East Didsbury and Bury lines, and shuttle buses along the Eccles line.

“Additional shuttle buses will complement the usual enhanced commercial bus services that operate on match days.

“I’d encourage customers to keep up to date by checking our website and Twitter feed and allow a little longer than normal for their journey today.”

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.

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.

Sustrans publishes UK’s first complete cycle map series

The Lagan and Lough route at Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland - the last maps to complete the UK series. Credit Robert Ashby. Sustrans

Sustrans has completed the first series of cycle maps to cover the whole of the UK. The charity, which created the National Cycle Network, this week launched the maps of Northern Ireland, the last four in a 53-map series of pocket guides.

Together the maps cover all 14,000 miles of National Cycle Network, as well as other major routes such as the London Cycle Superhighways, and over 100 recommended day rides for people to enjoy, as well as inset maps of towns and city centres.

Martyn Brunt, Head of Mapping at Sustrans said: “Our new Pocket Map series is everything you need to plan your trip. It covers all National Cycle Routes and major routes and we’re updating them all the time as new routes are added.”

“We’ve been working on the maps since 2012, starting on the South coast of England and working northwards to Scotland. Northern Ireland and London were the last maps which complete the series.”

The only similar series of maps came out in the 1950s, long before Sustrans National Cycle Network began in 1995, and before most dedicated cycle paths and segregated routes.

The last maps in Sustrans UK Pocket Maps series, which were produced by Sustrans’ Four Point Mapping team, covered Northern Ireland, and include:

49 Belfast, Down & Armagh

50 Fermanagh Lakelands & Tyrone

51 Derry~Londonderry & The North West

52 The Causeway Coast & Glens

The Pocket Map series has already proved incredibly popular with more than 85,000 maps sold so far, and several reprinted because they sold out. Cornwall is the best-selling map having been reprinted three times since it was first launched, and other top-sellers include Dorset Downs, Kent, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, the Peak District, Severn and Thames, South West Wales, Yorkshire Wolds and York and the North Yorkshire Moors.

Work continues on updated versions of the maps as new routes and features are added and new information is included.

 For more information or to order maps look up www.sustrans.org.uk/shop

First commuters use new-look St Peter’s Square stop

Metrolink welcomed commuters back on to the tram network today for the first time after services were restored through the new-look expanded St Peter’s Square stop.

Click here for further news and images.

TfGM Cycle Maps updated

TfGM has recently updated its cycle maps which are available to download from its website and there is also an online map which is updated more regularly.

Designed with cyclists in mind, you can access maps containing all cycle routes in each of the ten districts of Greater Manchester, including Salford, Trafford and Manchester.

If you prefer a copy in your pocket, TfGM can send you the map you need.

Please click here for further details.