TfGM urging people travelling into Manchester to plan ahead this evening

People are urged to use public transport this evening

People traveling into Manchester on Wednesday are being encourage to plan ahead because of an expected busier-than-usual period.

Tens of thousands of people will be heading towards the city centre to attend the Manchester Derby in the League Cup semi-finals - and Transport for Greater Manchester want people's journeys to be as smooth as possible.

There will also be many people heading to Manchester Arena to see Young Voices perform - plus there are roadworks in place on several routes.

The busiest time to travel is forecast to be between 4.00pm and 7.45pm as the evening rush begins and people leave the city centre after work and others travel in to get to the Etihad and the Arena.

Where possible, people are advised to use public transport as roads are likely to be busier due to highway improvements taking place in and around the city centre.

Monday saw work get underway to fix a well-known pinch point on Hyde Road and additional traffic management was introduced to the ongoing Great Ancoats Street scheme. 

Both routes are regularly used by commuters and are popular for those driving to the Etihad.

Graham Banks, Travel Demand Manager for TfGM, said: "This Wednesday evening looks set to be the busiest of the new year so far and so we're urging everyone to play their part in helping to reduce congestion by planning their journeys in advance.

"Given the highway schemes that are now underway, motorists are likely to see longer travel times in and out of the city centre and so where possible, we'd recommend using alternative routes or using tram or bus to get around.

"We work closely with both football clubs so hopefully fans are already planning their travel but for anyone who needs help with planning their journeys, or would just like to find out more about what's taking place, they should visit the TfGM website for all the latest info."

Transport for Greater Manchester has a dedicated travel advice page that contains information about all the major events and highway schemes taking place to help people get around - tfgm.com/traveladvice

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