Passengers urged to plan ahead this weekend as Manchester prepares for busiest day on the transport network so far this year

Metrolink tram at St Peter's Square

People travelling into Manchester this weekend are being urged to plan ahead of what is expected to be the busiest day on the transport network so far, with rail strikes and major events taking place.

On Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd June there will be industrial action on the railways, and customers wishing to travel should expect train timetables and operating hours to be significantly affected.

Between Wednesday 31st May and Sunday 4th June more than 300,000 gig-goers are expected to see some of the world’s biggest musical acts take to the stage, with Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys and Sir Elton John playing the Etihad, Emirates Old Trafford and the AO Arena.

Over the weekend thousands more will be attending the free festival We Invented the Weekend which is taking place at MediaCity and Salford Quays.

Dedicated travel guidance for each of the events, including which routes and suggestions of alternatives, can be found on Transport for Greater Manchester’s website.

TfGM is encouraging people to travel by Metrolink across the weekend as this will be the quickest and most reliable way of travelling in and around the city centre. Paying by contactless remains the most convenient way to pay for tram travel.

Drivers are being strongly advised not to drive into the city centre, with congestion expected in the city centre and on the Inner Ring Road across the weekend.

Car users who have no option but to drive are asked to add a significant amount of additional time to their journeys. Drivers can also save time by using a Metrolink Park and Ride.

Sean Dyball, TfGM’s Head of Customer Experience, said: “We’re expecting this weekend, particularly Saturday, to be one of the busiest periods of the year in Manchester, with major events taking place and due to rail strikes we expect more people to travel on our region’s roads.

“We are expecting major congestion on Saturday and we strongly encourage anyone travelling into the city centre to plan ahead and allow sufficient time for their journeys. People planning to drive should avoid the city centre and consider leaving their vehicle at a Park and Ride and using Metrolink to complete their journey.

“Throughout the weekend we will be constantly updating the customer information available on our website and across our social media channels to help people make informed journey choices, to save them time and avoid disruption to their journey.”

The strike on Saturday coincides with the first all-Manchester FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United. Around 90,000 fans are due to attend the historic match in London, with thousands more expected to travel to the capital. More information can be found on TfGM’s website.