Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is reminding residents that this weekend’s Manchester Marathon will involve road closures affecting journeys.

Around thirty-two thousand runners will take part in the 26.2-mile race on Sunday (14 April), and thousands more will attend to watch and cheer on the racers.

The Manchester Marathon – originally called the Greater Manchester Marathon – has run every year since 2012 (except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic), although the first marathon in the city was run in 1908.

This year’s race will start from the Trafford Arch and will run into the city centre and through areas including Sale, Altrincham, Timperley, Chorlton and Hulme. The finishing line is near the Old Trafford stadium and UA92.

Manchester and Trafford’s transport network will be very busy before, during and after the race, with a significant number of roads closed.

Many bus services will divert from their usual route, and even those which do not need to divert will be busier than usual and may be delayed by traffic congestion.

TfGM is recommending the tram as the best way for most people to get around, and is asking people to avoid travelling by car in order to reduce congestion.

Park and ride services will be available.

Visitors can park at Parkway and take the tram to Wharfside to watch the race, then take the tram to Deansgate-Castlefield to celebrate with the runners afterwards.

The Bee Network app enables passengers to plan their journey, get up-to-date information on travel, and see live departures from their tram stop.

Metrolink, which is operated by KeolisAmey, will run a service of one tram every seven-and-a-half minutes (eight trams per hour) on its Altrincham line.

More double trams will run, enhancing the network’s capacity. TfGM expects tram services to be extremely busy throughout the day, and is advising passengers that the quietest time to travel is likely to be after 4pm.

Further information on the day’s travel is available on the TfGM website.

“The Manchester Marathon is always a fantastic occasion. We wish everyone taking part the best of luck and are looking forward to helping runners and spectators get to and from the event as smoothly as possible.

“It’s sure to be a busy day and we’d encourage anyone travelling on Sunday – whether their trip is for the marathon or other reasons – to please check our dedicated webpage for how your journey may be impacted by road closures, bus diversions and busy periods.

“To avoid congestion and for a more enjoyable trip, consider jumping on the tram and using a contactless payment for a fast and efficient way to travel. Park and Ride sites also provide a free place to park before completing your journey on the tram to the race.”

 “If you are coming as a spectator, why not avoid the busy start and finish points and cheer on your runner from one of the lovely places along the route – whether that’s Sale, Altrincham, Chorlton or somewhere else- and enjoy what south Manchester has to offer?

“All the areas along the route are served by tram stops and it’s more likely you’ll be able to get from A to B more easily.”

Fran Wilkinson, Customer and Growth Director, Transport for Greater Manchester