Metrolink for Old Trafford

[Argyle 1980]

Anyone give any heads up for Old Trafford for 21st July. Staying in Village Hotel Cheadle so initially thought East Didsbury to Firswood/Trafford Bar as I've used this route to Old Trafford before when staying at Parrs Wood Complex. Know Navigation Road is also a good option and closer to stadium, but edging towards East Didsbury because from memory it was considerably larger than Navigation Road. Can anyone local or with local knowledge hint on what capacity is like at Navigation Road or if it's likely to be a problem or indeed if even East Didsbury has capacity problems unless arriving very early. Or any other better options. Really don't want to arrive at any station much before 9am unless it's really necessary.
Thanks.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Presume you're going to the international cricket match at the Old Trafford cricket ground on Friday 21st July 2023.

And when you're asking about East Didsbury/Navigation Road, are you essentially asking about somewhere to park a car, before then getting the Metrolink tram to the cricket ground?

East Didsbury tram terminus is likely to prove easier to park up at or after 9 a.m. on a Friday morning. You could also consider Sale Water Park tram stop (on the Manchester Airport line, and near to Junction 6 of the M60 motorway). Both will get to you to Firswood or Trafford Bar tram stops, which, whilst not immediately adjacent to the tram stop at the cricket ground, should make it far easier to get a return tram at the close of play (as Old Trafford tram stop will invariably be rammed).

Navigation Road tram stop is not the worst shout, but the car park there does get rather busy, as its capacity is somewhat less than 100 cars, whereas East Didsbury / Sale Water Park both have around 275 spaces.

P.S. One other factor to consider is that the tram fare to Old Trafford / Trafford Bar / Firswood (all Zone 2) from East Didsbury / Navigation Road (both in Zone 3) will be slightly cheaper than from Navigation Road (Zone 4).

 

[Greybeard33]

I would recommend E Didsbury P&R. It has a larger car park than Navigation Road and a more frequent tram service than Sale Water Park, and is a shorter drive from Cheadle than either.

The Firswood and Trafford Bar stops are similar distances from the ground but the tram ride to the former is a couple of minutes shorter. If walking to Firswood post-match, best to leave the ground by the Greatstone Road gate, to avoid the queues tailing back on to Brian Statham Way from the Old Trafford tram stop. Alternatively leave by the main gate to walk straight down Talbot Road to Trafford Bar, for the best chance of a seat on the tram before it fills up at Firswood.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I would recommend E Didsbury P&R.

Think you've summarised that quite well. BTW, the day travelcard fare from East Didsbury (to/from Zone 2) is £3.50 if travelling before 9.30 a.m. on the Friday or £3.10 thereafter, so a fairly minimal saving, compared with all the other costs involved in attending the fixture.

 

[Argyle 1980]

Thanks for heads up. Think we're going to opt with East Didsbury. Been told of numerous free street parking close by too should the station be full. I've stayed in the Travelodge at Parrs Wood a few times too and have never been asked for a VRN in the car park there so assume it's not ANPR, though don't particularly want to test that theory.
I'm not overly worried about the longer walk to Trafford Bar opposed to Old Trafford. I used Old Trafford station to Altrincham after the Harry Styles concert last year and was surprised at how quiet it was. We had no queue at all getting onto the southbound platform and waited about 10 mins for the tram, in that time the platform didn't become overly crowded. The Manchester bound platform was busy but the queue didn't look massive and looked like it was moving quite quickly.

 

[Greybeard33]

Last Friday I walked to Trafford Bar at 21:30 after the Lancs v Surrey T20 quarter final. While waiting about 10 minutes for an Altrincham tram, two East Didsbury services departed, a double and a single, neither anywhere near crush loaded.

Attendance at this match was probably less than half that at a test match - B Upper and D stands were closed, and C Upper part sold, with the other stands pretty much full. And at 18:30 trams will likely have higher loads from the city centre than later on. On the other hand some people tend to drift away early from a test match, whereas most people stay to the end of a T20, then all head for the trams together.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Heaton Chapel station isn't far from Cheadle either. Trains will be running as it's an inter-strike day. You could then catch an onward tram to Cornbrook with the train ticket and walk 15 minutes from Cornbrook to Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Heaton Chapel station isn't far from Cheadle either. Trains will be running as it's an inter-strike day. You could then catch an onward tram to Cornbrook with the train ticket and walk 15 minutes from Cornbrook to Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

Wouldn't be my starting point of choice. Is there actually any car parking available anywhere near Heaton Chapel station (other than on street?) The fare's more expensive, it's likely to be rammed on the Metrolink on the section between the City Centre and Cornbrook, and it's then at least a mile and a half from Cornbrook station to the cricket ground. East Didsbury tram terminus, as suggested by @Greybeard33, would be the better choice.

 

[plugwash]

Heaton Chapel station isn't far from Cheadle either.

I can't really see any situation in which Heaton Chapel staiton would be a sensible choice from Cheadle. It lacks parking so is a bad choice if travelling by car and if using public transport I'd think there are other stations that are much easier to get to and have a similar or better service.

BTW if you want to leave the car at the hotel, it seems the 42B runs past your hotel and goes to east didsbury..

 

[scrapy]

East Didsbury would be the the obvious choice for me! If any disruption on this line I'd be tempted to go to Sale Water Park or Dane Rd (plenty of free on street parking and just off m60)

 

[daodao]

BTW if you want to leave the car at the hotel, it seems the 42B runs past your hotel and goes to east didsbury..

Bus 42B only runs hourly (evenings excepted). Bus services in outer Greater Manchester suburbs beyond the historic first generation tram termini have been slashed in the last 10 years - there used to be 4 buses per hour from the Cheadle Village Hotel to East Didsbury.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Wouldn't be my starting point of choice. Is there actually any car parking available anywhere near Heaton Chapel station (other than on street?) The fare's more expensive, it's likely to be rammed on the Metrolink on the section between the City Centre and Cornbrook, and it's then at least a mile and a half from Cornbrook station to the cricket ground. East Didsbury tram terminus, as suggested by @Greybeard33, would be the better choice.

Tatton Road South has good parking as it's a long street in a safe area.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

@Argyle 1980. How did you get on, today?