Just checking what local events are currently planned for July not too far from me and I notice as things stand the following are planned for July:
Fri 9th - Ladies and Gents Evening - Chester Races
Fri 9th - Sun 11th - Foodies Festival - Tatton Park*
Sat 10th - City Plate Day - Chester Races
Tues 20th - T20 international cricket at Old Trafford (which will see people interchanging between train and tram at Altrincham)
Wed 21st - Sun 25th - RHS Tatton Show**
Sat 31st - Cheshire County Show*** (usually held on two weekdays in June)
Sun 1st Aug - Family Day - Chester Races
* = Organiser usually run shuttle bus to the event site from Knutsford station
** = Organiser usually run shuttle buses to the event site from Knutsford, Altrincham and Manchester Airport stations
*** = Organiser usually run shuttle buses to the event site from Knutsford, Northwich and Hartford stations
If things go ahead as scheduled, even if most commuters don't return to their places of work, I can see there being crowding issues on trains, most notably on 10th July. Northern struggle with Chester race days normally but this year one of the race days is set to class with the Foodies Festival and in both cases many of the visitors who decide to travel by train will travel from Manchester and Stockport towards Chester in the morning. The Cheshire County Show being moved to a Saturday might work in Northern's favour if commuters do start to return as normally some visitors would be travelling at the same time as commuters in the morning peak.
Are event schedules looking as busy in other areas of the country? If so are rail operators doing any planning for these busy July schedules?
Fri 9th - Ladies and Gents Evening - Chester Races
Fri 9th - Sun 11th - Foodies Festival - Tatton Park*
Sat 10th - City Plate Day - Chester Races
Tues 20th - T20 international cricket at Old Trafford (which will see people interchanging between train and tram at Altrincham)
Wed 21st - Sun 25th - RHS Tatton Show**
Sat 31st - Cheshire County Show*** (usually held on two weekdays in June)
Sun 1st Aug - Family Day - Chester Races
* = Organiser usually run shuttle bus to the event site from Knutsford station
** = Organiser usually run shuttle buses to the event site from Knutsford, Altrincham and Manchester Airport stations
*** = Organiser usually run shuttle buses to the event site from Knutsford, Northwich and Hartford stations
If things go ahead as scheduled, even if most commuters don't return to their places of work, I can see there being crowding issues on trains, most notably on 10th July. Northern struggle with Chester race days normally but this year one of the race days is set to class with the Foodies Festival and in both cases many of the visitors who decide to travel by train will travel from Manchester and Stockport towards Chester in the morning. The Cheshire County Show being moved to a Saturday might work in Northern's favour if commuters do start to return as normally some visitors would be travelling at the same time as commuters in the morning peak.
Are event schedules looking as busy in other areas of the country? If so are rail operators doing any planning for these busy July schedules?