Rochdale residents encouraged to beat the traffic this Christmas

Councillor Allen Brett, Rochdale spokesperson for GMPTA

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) is encouraging festive shoppers in Rochdale to use public transport to beat the traffic this Christmas.

Shoppers stocking up on presents can hop on a bus or train to enjoy a trip to the shops without having to worry about finding or paying for a parking space.

There are currently more than 3,500 free parking spaces available to rail and Metrolink users at stations around Greater Manchester to help reduce traffic in town centres. In Rochdale, Smithy Bridge railway station has fifty free parking spaces for rail users and Littleborough has forty.

Councillor Allen Brett, Rochdale spokesperson for GMPTA, said: “We want people to think about using public transport to get into town for their shopping this Christmas, whether it’s by bus or train.

“Obviously public transport is available all year round but there is an even higher demand for town centre parking in the run up to Christmas so it makes sense to try and leave the car behind where possible.

“There are plenty of parking spaces at many local rail stations that are less heavily used at weekends and many people will have regular local bus services they may not have used before.

“I hope people will think twice about their journey and consider giving local transport services a go.”

To speak to a travel advisor who can help you plan your journey by public transport, call Traveline on 0870 608 2608. Lines are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 8pm at weekends. Textphone users should ring 0870 241 2216.

There is also a journey planner on the GMPTE website and a map of all the railway stations and Metrolink stops in Greater Manchester with free car parking spaces. For more information visit www.gmpte.com/parkandride