Those heading into Manchester to do their Christmas shopping have been advised to travel at quieter times and use public transport in a bid to prevent travel chaos. Last weekend, a couple suffered a four hour wait as they tried to leave the Arndale car park in Manchester city centre, following a Christmas shopping trip.
A mixture of Christmas Market visitors heading into town to soak up the festive atmosphere, shoppers snapping up last-minute Black Friday Sales and football fans making the most of the World Cup fixtures resulted in huge numbers of people filing into the city. Its a trend that's likely to continue in the run up to Christmas and as visitor numbers return to pre-pandemic levels.
Prior to last weekend, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) offered some insight into the busiest times for shopping in Manchester City Centre. They said that the same weekend last year, following Black Friday, saw a 11 per cent increase in peak journey times, with 3pm and 7pm representing the busiest part of the day.
