Plan to avoid football gridlock
NEW plans to avoid traffic gridlock across the city centre have been drawn up as Manchester United host French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
As many as 3,000 supporters were due in the city today ahead of the game at Old Trafford. Chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Ian Hopkins, said he wanted to end the “custom and practice” of visiting fans being escorted by police to Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium on European evenings, although he admitted there was “no simple solution”.
Previous facilitated marches have combined with roadworks and resulting rolling road-blocks to create traffic misery for commuters. There are no current plans for a facilitated march for the PSG game from Shambles Square, where fans have traditionally gathered, but the situation could change quickly.
Transport bosses said “extra capacity” has been added to Metrolink and PSG fans would be “encouraged” to board trams for Trafford Bar at Exchange Square, in Manchester city centre, opposite Shambles Square.
A queuing system will be in place and passengers using the stop, but not going to the match, are asked to use access points at the Arndale/Selfridge’s end. A contingency fleet of buses will also be on standby to shuttle fans to the ground.
Should PSG fans decide to walk however, police would be powerless to stop it. A facilitated march would then swing into action, should they choose not to take public transport.
The game kicks off at 8pm and a sellout crowd of 75,000 is expected, with the Young Voices children’s choir concert also at Manchester Arena tonight.
Both police and Transport for Greater Manchester have warned public transport is expected to be “much busier than usual” and people should plan their journeys in advance.
Mr Hopkins said GMP had sought to prevent a police-facilitated march last November, which saw thousands of fans of Swiss side BSC Young Boys walking in unison to Old Trafford for the United game, but supporters “said they were going to do it anyway”, leaving the force with little option.
Assistant chief constable Rob Potts, match commander for the PSG game, said police and TfGM were “seeking to avoid” police walks to stadiums in future. He told the M.E.N.: “Given the expected increased footfall, we would advise people to plan their journeys accordingly.”