Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed plans for fans heading to see their Olympic and Paralympic heroes in Manchester later this month.
More than 150,000 people from across the country are expected to descend on Manchester city centre to celebrate the achievements of Team GB and Paralympics GB in Rio with the Athletes' Parade on Monday, 17th October.
It promises to be a great day out for the whole family, but services will be busier than usual and road closures around the city mean there will be some changes to bus services. TfGM are working to make extra trams, trains and parking spaces available and encourage people to plan their journey in advance, be patient and allow plenty of time to get to where you want to go.
Transport for Greater Manchester has launched an Athletes' Parade travel webpage to help make it easier for people to get to the event.
The parade, which will be one of the largest single events the city has seen in recent years, starts at Castlefield at 4.30pm and then makes its way through the city before culminating in a civic reception in Albert Square.
To help manage the increase in demand across all forms of transport and on the roads, TfGM is working with operating companies and other partners to increase capacity on the rail and Metrolink networks, while more than 5,000 free parking spaces are being made available at Old Trafford, the Etihad Stadium, the Macron Stadium, Horwich Parkway and Sale Water Park on the day.
John Fryer, Events Manager for TfGM, said: "It goes without saying that we are delighted to be playing a part in helping to create an unforgettable experience for the people of Greater Manchester and for those who are visiting our great city from further afield.
"This is one of the most important celebrations that the city has played host to and with so many people expected to visit we're really encouraging everyone to plan their journey and to know the travel options available to them.
"We strongly urge large employers within the city to consider the travel needs of their staff and visitors and wherever possible allow staggered leaving times to avoid the evening rush.
"The Athletes' Parade travel webpage will provide all the travel information people will need in one place and so we hope that it enables them to enjoy this momentous event to its fullest."
With many people expected to attend from neighbouring regions like Yorkshire, Cheshire and North Wales, demand on rail services will likely be higher than usual.
Adam Fairclough, Head of Customer Experience Change for TransPennine Express, said: "We are pleased to welcome visitors to Manchester in celebration of our wonderful athletes.
"Train services and stations are expected to extremely busy and people should allow extra time to travel and plan their journeys accordingly. Those in need of a little extra help or assistance should book ahead.
"There will be additional staff out to support the event and look forward to welcoming customers on-board."
Travel updates and advice will be provided over the course of the weekend through the @OfficialTfGM Twitter feed. The hashtag for people to keep an eye out for is #GBheroesMCR
