Oasis will play five huge shows at Heaton Park in Manchester next week as part of their highly anticipated reunion tour and a warning has been issued to those attending
The much-anticipated Oasis reunion that’s been the buzz since last summer is finally happening this week as the band sets off on their massive global tour.
It’s been nearly 16 years since Oasis graced the stage together, with their last live performance ending abruptly in 2009 due to a notorious backstage row. The comeback tour will see them perform 19 shows across the UK and Ireland, followed by an international stint hitting venues in America, Asia, and Australia.
Oasis will launch their tour with two nights in Cardiff before heading to Manchester for a quintet of performances at Heaton Park on the 11th, 12th, 16th, 19th, and 20th of July. With the Heaton Park concerts just around the corner, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has issued travel advice for fans attending the gigs.
An estimated 340,000 attendees are expected to flock to Heaton Park to see the Gallagher brothers reunite over the five nights, prompting early travel preparations.
Steve Gilholme, Head of Events at TfGM, commented: “People have waited years for the return of Oasis, and their homecoming gigs at Heaton Park are sure to be an ‘I was there’ moment for thousands of Mancunians and music-lovers from all over the country – and even overseas.”
He added: “Those lucky enough to get tickets won’t want to miss a minute – and the best way to get to Heaton Park and back will be to take advantage of the great public transport options on offer, particularly the six-minute tram service from Victoria station.”
“The city will also be playing host to a number of other big events during Oasis’ run of shows – including Kool and The Gang at AO Arena and Billie Eilish at Co-op Live.
“Public transport and roads will be busier than usual during this exciting time, so we encourage everyone to allow plenty of time for their journey and check the Bee Network app or website for the latest travel advice.”
TfGM’s state-of-the-art control room will also be operating around the clock to monitor and coordinate the public transport system and respond to any emerging incidents.
Travel arrangements for the hotly anticipated reunion shows have involved months of planning by TfGM and its partners and will see additional staff on the network, a more frequent and all-double tram service running to Heaton Park from Victoria station, and a shuttle bus service running from the city centre.
TfGM has said that the best way for fans to beat the traffic and get to the 80,000-capacity outdoor venue will be to travel by tram.
On each night, there will be a six-minute service from Victoria Station to Bury – the only city centre station with a direct tram to Heaton Park. This service will be capable of carrying 4,000 passengers an hour. Those journeying from the city centre are advised to head to Victoria where they can hop on trams to the event.
Festival-goers travelling from other lines may need to switch onto a Bury-bound tram at Victoria. If you’ve got a ticket for front standing at Heaton Park, it’s recommended to alight at Bowker Vale, which is the nearest stop to the venue entrance on Sheepfoot Lane.
The Heaton Park stop will be shut from 9pm on all nights, making Bowker Vale the primary stop for journeys back to Bury and the city centre post-show. Concert attendees should also note that due to planned engineering work, there will be no trams operating from Piccadilly Station to city centre stops.
Both the Bowker Vale and Heaton Park stops are just a stone’s throw away from the park gates, with staff and signage in place to assist gig-goers.
For the gigs on July 11, 12, and 19, the final trams will depart for the city centre at 2.02am and for Bury at 1.16am. On July 16, the last trams will operate at 1.32am to the city centre and 12.46am to Bury.
It’s also been suggested that those commuting on the Bury line on Friday 11 and Wednesday 16 might want to consider working from home if feasible, as the tram network will be particularly congested, with longer waits for services anticipated.
Those travelling on the Eccles and Bury line will also need to change trams to reach the city centre.
Regular shuttle buses will be operating from Lever Street in the Northern Quarter, an 11-minute stroll from Piccadilly train station and a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Gardens, starting at 1.30pm on each event day.
The final bus will leave at 7.30pm. It’s recommended to set off early to avoid missing the gig’s start as later buses are expected to be packed.
Buses will begin their return journey to Manchester from a temporary bus station within Heaton Park, starting at 10pm. Buses will keep running until all passengers have left the bus station. The drop-off point back in the city is Shudehill Interchange.
A limited number of shuttlebus tickets, costing £10, are available but must be bought in advance via the Bee Network app.
Expect increased traffic and several road closures around Heaton Park and nearby areas on event dates.
Heaton Park is typically served by various commercial bus services, but from 8pm on event days, these will be diverted due to the road closures around the park. The city centre is also likely to be busy, with congestion around Great Ancoats Street and surrounding areas.
Those who need to drive or require drop-off and pick-up services are urged to consider using one of the 24 park and ride sites across Greater Manchester.
The park and ride facilities on the Bury line include Whitefield, with 331 spaces and 13 disabled spaces, and Radcliffe, offering 480 spaces and 22 disabled spaces.
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