Great Manchester Run 10K and half marathon: travel, trams, parking, road closures and race numbers updates

A previous Great Manchester RunA previous Great Manchester Run
A previous Great Manchester Run | UGC

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With just a few days left to go til the Great Manchester Runs, here’s the latest travel advice on getting to the event plus road closures.

Thousands of runners are set to take to the streets of Manchester city centre on Sunday 26 September for the Great Manchester 10K and half marathon.

Here, we’ve answered some of your questions around travelling to the event and how to get your race number if it hasn’t come in the post.

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What should I do if my race number hasn’t turned up before the day?

Organisers advise if your number hasn’t arrived through the post by Saturday, you’ll need to visit the information point located on the upper foyer of the Manchester Central Convention Complex. Should you need to visit the information point, enter via the Exchange Lower Foyer entrance, Windmill Street, M2 3GX.

The information point will be open on Saturday 25 September from 10:00 – 16:00, and will also be open from 7.30am on Sunday 26 September.

Great Manchester Run 10k routeGreat Manchester Run 10k route
Great Manchester Run 10k route | ugc

How can I get to the event - and are trams running?

Organisers recommend you arrive no more than an hour before your start time.

The nearest train station to the start point is Manchester Oxford Road, while the nearest train station to the finish line is Deansgate. Manchester Piccadilly is also around a 15 minute walk to the start line for those coming into the city via its biggest mainline station.

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Tram drivers in Manchester were due to strike this weekend but ManchesterWorld can confirm the strike has been suspended and services will be running.

A number of bus services will be diverted throughout the day due to the road closures in place for the event too: the affected services are 15, 18, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 50, 85, 86, 101, 102, 103, 111, 142, 143, 197, 216, 219, 230, 231, 250, 255, 256, 263, V1, V2, X41, X43, X50, x57, free bus 1 and free bus 2.

There are live updates on all public transport at the Transport for Greater Manchester website here.

Great Manchester run half marathon routeGreat Manchester run half marathon route
Great Manchester run half marathon route | ugc

Where can I park if travelling by car?

Organisers are urging people to use public transport if they can - on-street parking suspensions will be in place within the city centre for the duration of the events, meaning finding an accessible space could be tricky.

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Where are the road closures then?

There are lots to note: here they are in alphabetical order.

Saturday 25 September 2021: Tonman St from Deansgate to Barton St from 09:00 until Sun 26th 23:00. Access Tonman St via Barton St and Longworth St via Camp St.

Sunday 26 September 2021: In alphabetical order, the following roads will be closed from 04:00: Chepstow St: from Oxford St to Great Bridgewater St; Deansgate: from Whitworth St West to John Dalton St; Dickinson St; Jackson’s Row from Deansgate to Southmill Street; Lloyd Street from Deansgate to Southmill Street; Quay Street from Deansgate to Byrom Street; Peter St: from Mount St to St Peters Square; Portland St: from Oxford St to Princess St; Southmill Street from Peter St to Albert Sq; St John St: from Deansgate to Byrom St. The following road will be closed from 06:00: Mancunian Way (East and West bound) from Fairfield St to Regent Rd and Pinmill Brow from Fairfield Street to Mancunian Way. In alphabetical order, the following roads will be closed from 07:00: Alan Turing Way: From Ashton New Rd to Ashton Old Rd; A5063 Trafford Rd: from White City Circle Roundabout to Salford City Boundary; A5063 White City Circle; A56 Bridgewater Way: from Chester Rd to Wharfside Way; A56 Chester Rd: from Bridgewater Way to Bridgewater Viaduct; A56 Chester Rd: from White City Circle roundabout to Sir Matt Busby Way; A5801 Wharfside Way: from White City Circle Roundabout to Village Circle Roundabout; Abingdon St; Alan Turing Way: southbound from Ashton New Rd to Wilson Street & Northbound from Ashton Old Rd to Grey Mare Lane; Ashton Old Rd: from Alan Turing Way to Fairfield Street; Atkinson St: from Byron St to Deansgate; Bloom St: from Chorlton St to Princess St; Bootle St: from Deansgate to Southmill St; Bridgewater Viaduct; Byrom St: from Quay St to Hardman St; Central St: from Southmill St to Lloyd St; Chepstow St: from Oxford St to Great Bridgewater St; Chester Rd: from Bridgewater Way to Bridgewater Viaduct; Chester Rd: from Mancunian Way Roundabout to Cornbrook; Chester Rd: from Hadfield St to Bridgewater Way; Chorlton Rd: from Jackson St to Mancunian Way; Chorlton St: from Portland St to Silver St; Cross St: From Cross St to John Dalton St; Ellesmere St: from Hulme Hall Rd to Chester Rd; Fairfield St: from Ashton Old Rd to Mancunian Way; Great Bridgewater St: from Oxford St to Deansgate; Great Jackson St: from City Rd East to Chester Rd; Hardman St; Hulme Hall Rd: from Ellesmere St to Chester Rd; Jacksons Row; Lloyd St; Major St: from Sackville St to Princess St; Manor St: at Mancunian Way; Midland St: from Hooper St to Ashton Old Rd; Minshul St: from Portland St to Aytoun St; Oxford St: from Peter St to Whitworth St West; Peter St: from Deansgate to Mount St; Pin Mill Brow: from Fairfield St to Mancunian Way; Portland St: from New York St to Princess St; Princess St: from Albert Square to Portland St; Quay St: from Deansgate to Byrom St; Sackville St: from Portland St to Major St; Silver St: from Minshul St to Chorlton St; Sir Alex Ferguson Way; Sir Matt Busby Way; Southmill St; Trafford Rd: from Exchange Quay to Trafford Rd; Trafford Wharf Rd: from Warren Bruce Rd to Trafford Rd; Warren Bruce Rd: from Wharfside Way to Trafford Wharf Rd; Wharf End: from Trafford Wharf Rd to Trafford Rd. In alphabetical order, the following roads will be closed from 08:00: Albion St: from Whitworth St West to Medlock St; Medlock St: from Albion St to River St; Whitworth St: from Albion St to Gloucester St.

Lining up for Great Manchester Run  Credit: GMRLining up for Great Manchester Run  Credit: GMR
Lining up for Great Manchester Run Credit: GMR | ugc

And when will roads reopen?

On Sunday, here are the expected timings for roads to reopen:

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11:30: Ashton New Rd; Alan Turning Way; 13:00: Ashton Old Rd; Chorlton Rd; Fairfield St; Manor St; Midland St; Pin Mill St; Mancunian Way; 14:45: Albion St; City Rd East; Great Jackson St; Medlock St and Whitworth St; 16:00: Peter St; Portland St; Abingdon St; Bloom St; Chepstow St; Chorlton St; Cross St; Great Bridgewater St; Major St; Minshul St; Oxford St; Portland St; Princes Street; Sackville St; Silver St 18:00: all remaining on course roads; 19:00: Deansgate from Whitworth St West to Peter St; 21:00: St John St; 23:00: Tonman St.

What about residents’ parking?

Organisers say residents living directly on, or with secured parking off, any of the above roads who will need to use their car on Sunday should use alternative parking away from the roads affected by the road closures.

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