Greater Manchester travel: What to expect over the next week

Greater Manchester’s roads and public transport services are expected to be particularly busy between Friday, November 21 and Thursday, November 27.

On Tuesday, November 25, Manchester City face Bayer Leverkusen at the Etihad Stadium in a Champions League clash kicking off at 8pm.

A fan walk is expected to take place for Leverkusen supporters, with more than 1,000 expected to travel from Piccadilly to the stadium via Ancoats.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has warned of delays in the city centre and Ancoats areas between 5pm and 8pm.

A spokesperson said: “If you’re making a journey by car via Great Ancoats Street and Ashton Old Road, consider re-routing or re-timing to miss the rush.”

Manchester United also host Everton at Old Trafford on Monday, November 24, with kick-off at 8pm.

Heavy traffic is expected around Chester Road, Talbot Way, and Trafford Way due to football crowds and shoppers heading to the Trafford Centre.

The same evening, American metal band Halestorm will perform at the AO Arena.

TfGM has advised that trams will be the fastest travel option, though services are likely to be busier than usual, particularly on the Trafford Park and Altrincham lines.

The AO Arena will host four Gladiators Live Tour shows over the weekend of November 22 and 23.

On Saturday, November 22, Hits Radio Live takes place at Co-op Live, with performances from Sugababes, Craig David, and Olly Murs.

Joe Talbot, frontman of Idles, will perform a DJ set at the AO Arena on Tuesday, November 25.

TfGM expects journey times to be longer throughout the city as Christmas shoppers and eventgoers add to the usual traffic.

Four pop-up Park and Ride sites, offering more than 1,000 free parking spaces, will be available every Saturday and Sunday from November 22 to December 21.

They are located at Booth Street West, Central Park, Belle Vue, and Irwell Place, with express buses running into the city centre from 9am to 8pm.

On Sunday, November 23, no trams will operate through Victoria until 10am due to track repair work.

A replacement bus service will run between Victoria and Piccadilly until services resume.

Passengers are advised to plan journeys in advance and check the Bee Network website for the latest travel updates.