Parklife travel: What you need to know if you’re heading to Heaton Park this weekend

Major road closures, Metrolink changes and travel advice as Parklife returns.

Tens of thousands of festivalgoers will descend on Heaton Park this weekend as Parklife returns for its 15th year, and whether you’re going or not, the traffic disruption is set to be hard to miss.

Starting on Friday 13 June with a headline show from Catfish and the Bottlemen, the main Parklife event runs across Saturday and Sunday, 14 - 15 June, featuring performances from 50 Cent, Charli xcx, Jorja Smith, Peggy Gou, Rudimental, Bicep and many more.

With crowds expected to top 80,000 each day, large parts of Prestwich, Blackley and Middleton will be affected by temporary road closures, parking restrictions and changes to public transport.

Which roads are closed and when?

From Friday to Sunday, between 8pm and 1am, several key routes around the park will be shut in both directions:

• Middleton Road (Victoria Avenue to Crumpsall Lane)
• Sheepfoot Lane (Bury Old Road to Middleton Road)
• Blackley New Road (Middleton Road to Riverdale Road)
• Meade Hill Road (Sheepfoot Lane to Middleton Road)
• Bury Old Road (Whittaker Lane to Scholes Lane)
• Whittaker Lane will only be open to traffic heading west.

On Saturday and Sunday, additional closures come into force from 7pm to 2am, including:

• All access to M60 junction 19 (except for the anticlockwise entry slip)
• Middleton Road from junction 19 through to Sheepfoot Lane
• Victoria Avenue (westbound only between Tweedle Hill Road and Middleton Road)

Parking, waiting or loading will also be banned on Meade Hill Road and Sheepfoot Lane from 9am to 1am each day, with tow trucks on standby for anyone ignoring the rules.

Public transport and festival gates

The main festival gates open at 12pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday, with the site closing at 11pm on both days. Last entry for ticketholders is strictly 5pm.

Festival organisers are urging attendees to use public transport, with the Parklife Travel Pass (£14.95) covering all Bee Network buses, trams, and the dedicated Parklife shuttle.

Tram: Services will run frequently from Manchester Victoria to Heaton Park during the day. Note: Heaton Park tram stop will close at 9pm, so return passengers must use Bowker Vale instead.

Shuttle buses: Running from Lever Street (Northern Quarter) into the site. Buses home will depart from a temporary station inside the park, with the North Gate being the recommended exit.

Best options for locals, walking, cycling or avoiding the area

Heaton Park is around a one-hour walk from the city centre. A signposted route runs along Bury Old Road, and those looking to avoid queues may find this the quickest way in and out. There will also be a bike rack in the official car park.

If you’re not attending the event, the busiest traffic periods will likely be late morning through the afternoon, and again from 10.30pm to after midnight, when the site clears.

Taxis and pick-up

• Licensed taxi ranks will operate on:
• Blackley New Road (Manchester cabs)
• Outside the Woodthorpe pub on Bury Old Road (Bury cabs)

If you’ve booked a private hire, or are arranging to collect someone, the designated pick-up point is at the Sainsbury’s on Heaton Park Road (M9 0QS).

This will be clearly signposted from 10pm each night. Important: Junction 19 of the M60 will be closed from 7pm, so drivers should approach via Victoria Avenue and Middleton Road.