Visitors have been left stranded on the Trafford Centre car park for hours on end after traffic chaos has led to huge queues. Some people said they have been waiting for as long as five hours.
Some shoppers said that they had been making miniscule progress, moving a few metres every few minutes. Others meanwhile have given up and returned to their parking space until the mayhem clears.
Eyewitness reports claimed that that roads around the Trafford Centre were left “jam packed” and that there was “nothing moving”. Many visitors have been left fuming.
Natalia Suska, 33,and her partner Piyush Sheopuri, 31, had gone to pick up an order from Pandora and ended up stuck. Natalia told the Manchester Evening News: “We’ve been here two hours. I’ve never experienced something like that, even the day before Christmas.”
Cody Fisher had gone to see Wicked with his boyfriend, healthcare worker Lewis Moran, before the pair ended up being stranded for five hours barely even out of their parking space. Cody told the M.E.N.: “We edged out of the space, about 30cm. I’ve got voice messages of people screaming. There’s swearing, verbal abuse.”
Cody added: “We came last week on Boxing Day and compared to this it was quiet. I’m absolutely drained.”
Julie Brannan wrote on Facebook: “Stuck on the car park at the Trafford centre – absolute joke !!! No traffic stewards or anything and they are just letting more on and NOBODY can get off just total gridlock – goodness knows how long – we’ve been sat here for an hour and a half and have moved about 10 feet.”
Meanwhile, Lesley Courtney posted: “Been to Trafford Centre today, absolute chaos! Never seen it so busy, turned round and came home!”
The Trafford Centre has said that the delays are due to a combination of factors including seasonal crowds and a game at Old Trafford. A spokesperson for the Trafford Centre told the M.E.N.: “With a busy day at the centre, and the Manchester United game taking place nearby this evening, the roads in and out of the centre are more congested than usual.
“We’re working with Greater Manchester Police and the highways authorities to try and clear the roads as quickly as possible, so things should be moving better around the centre soon. We appreciate our visitors’ patience whilst trying to get in and out of the car parks.”
Here are some of the pictures of the traffic mayhem that has unfolded at the Trafford Centre this evening.