Manchester Christmas markets get underway
09th November 2018
The Manchester Christmas markets are due to get back underway and passengers are urged to carefully plan their festive journeys with more people expected to travel in and out of the city by train.
Starting tonight, the Christmas markets in Manchester are a hugely popular attraction and Network Rail is advising passengers to check before they travel. With the return of over 300 stalls in the city centre, millions of people are expected to attend in the next six weeks until the event ends on 23rd December.
Manchester Piccadilly normally sees passenger numbers on average of around 120,000 per day, but this is expected to increase to 160,000 for the duration of the event. Trains are likely to be much busier than usual and it is imperative that passengers understand that certain journeys may take longer due to these numbers.
Another issue that passengers must take note of is the current dispute between Northern Rail and the RMT union. Strikes are currently planned for every Saturday until 29th September, meaning they coincide with the full duration of this event. As Northern Rail are a principal operator for routes into Manchester, passengers are urged to check carefully before making plans to travel on these days.
Scott Green, Manchester Piccadilly station manager, said: “The Christmas market and festive season are great for Manchester but marks the start of the busiest time of the year for the station. Passenger numbers increase significantly at Piccadilly causing busier services and more people on platforms and the station concourse.
“Our advice to passengers is allow extra time to make your train, don’t rely on your last service and check before you travel. There will be extra staff in place across the station to provide advice and information and help keep passengers safe.”
Author: Darren Porter
Image: Network Rail