Updated travel advice for Parklife attendees after strike action suspended

Updated travel advice has been published by Transport for Greater Manchester following the cancellation of Metrolink strike action.

Heaton Park's annual two-day music festival Parklife returns tomorrow & Sunday with headliners including The 1975 and Aitch.

Metrolink will operate a six-minute frequency to Parklife from Manchester city centre across the weekend.

Upon heading to the event, Heaton Park is the best stop to use located close to the West Gate entrance. 

Post-event, Heaton Park stop will be closed (from 9pm) due to safety reasons, so the Bowker Vale stop will be in operation, which is located near the East Gate exit. 

Metrolink services will continue to operate until the venue is cleared.

As in previous years, The Parklife shuttle bus will operate between Manchester City Centre & Heaton Park. 

The bus will take Parklife travel pass holders from Aytoun Street in the city centre to the drop-off point inside Heaton Park.

Buses will depart at least once every ten minutes.

• On Saturday the first bus will depart at 9.30am with the last bus departing at 4.30pm.
• On Sunday the first bus will depart at 10.30am with the last bus departing at 4.30pm.

TfGM are urging passengers to allow plenty of time for travel by allowing time to queue for services, as well as travelling to the park which is around 30 minutes from the city centre. 

On both days, the return bus service from Heaton Park to Manchester city centre starts at 6.30pm and will continue to operate until the venue is cleared. Drop off will be on Church Street.

Due to the road closures and traffic around the site, the 41, 59, 66, 90, 94 135 and 156 bus services will be diverted over the course of the weekend. View the diversion routes.

Heaton Park is around an hour's walk from Manchester City Centre, TfGM have assigned a recommended walking route for those that want to use that option, signage will also be on this route directing people to the city centre.

There will also be increased congestion and various road closures in place around the site for those looking to travel by car. 

There is a designated pick-up point at Sainsbury's on Heaton Park Road, which will also be signposted.

If you are driving to and from the designated pick-up point, Junction 19 of the M60 will be closed from 7pm on both nights.

Access to the pick-up point will be via Victoria Avenue and Middleton Road.

There is not a taxi rank on the Parklife site, but there are Hackney Carriage (taxi) stands at The Woodthorpe on Bury Old Road and on Blackley New Road (at the junction with Rochdale Road).

Parklife Travel Passes will be valid for travel on Metrolink.

Tickets cost £5 for Saturday or Sunday, or £10 for the weekend, with the Parklife Express Travel Pass available to purchase via the Parklife website. 

Tickets will be in electronic format, so all you need to do is have your ticket on your phone or device, ready to show staff when boarding the tram service. Please make sure you have sufficient phone battery to be able to show your travel pass when traveling home. If your battery is flat, you will need to purchase another ticket to travel.

Due to other events, and to ensure safety of all - TfGM & Metrolink will close some city-centre stops throughout the weekend. Click here to find out more.