‘Bedlam’ as travel chaos hits revellers
REVELLERS were hit by ‘absolute bedlam’ as they struggled to get home after one of the busiest nights since the pandemic began.
Alongside Parklife at Heaton Park, on Saturday The Killers performed at the Emirates Old Traf- ford cricket ground, Alicia Keys at the AO Arena and Ed Sheeran at The Etihad stadium.
There were reports of taxis charging up to seven times the usual fare, delayed trams and grid- locked traffic meaning that many people did not get home until the early hours of yesterday.
“Whoever planned to have Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, The Killers and Parklife all in one weekend in Manchester needs to give their head a wobble,” @williambyrne_ tweeted alongside a picture of traffic in the city centre. “The road closures are causing havoc for residents across the city, with diversions few and far between!”
Parklife fans took to Twitter to share their dismay as they waited outside ‘two hours since the festival ended’ to find their way home, while others claimed there had been a ‘breakdown in planning
control and execution.’ “Absolute shambles,” @tashjones_x said.
On the M.E.N’s Facebook page, Kat Heaton said the usual taxi fare of around £6 from Heaton Park to Middleton had sky-rocketed more than seven times to £46.50. “Lots of people not going to be able to get home safe,” she added.
@miaday777 tweeted: “Got stuck outside Parklife for hour and half to pay £80 for taxi.”
Some people reported drivers of black cabs were asking for £30 up front.
Revellers in the city centre were faced with packed-out trams at Victoria and St Peter’s Square.
People reported a number of Metrolink services were also cancelled. Abby Hannum said: “You’d think with all the festivals and gigs going on they would put more trams and buses on.” Train passengers also reported similar problems, with complaints about a lack of carriages and passengers at Deansgate station saying they were ‘locked out’ just after midnight.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police and British Transport Police were on hand at key stops Heaton Park, Bowker Vale and Victoria - to help passengers leave the Parklife site safely.
Stephen Rhodes, customer director at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “With extremely high and potentially record numbers of people expected to be travelling on the network this week, I’m appealing to all our passengers to take extra care when using the network and to look out for your friends and other people around you.”