Middleton Gears Up For 250,000 Oasis Fans
By
Stop Crying Your Heart Out
on
May 21, 2009
Detailed plans have been revealed for how Middleton will cope with the influx of almost 250,000 music fans next month.
Oasis are set to play three massive gigs in Heaton Park at the start of June and residents are bracing itself as more than 70,000 fans a day are expected to descend on the area.
Plans for the Gallagher brothers' gigs on 4, 6 and 7 of June include:
Using Bowlee Community Park as a temporary carpark for 7,000 vehicles on each of the three days, with park and ride facilities to and from the venue.
Enforcing strict no parking measures along Heywood Old Road from its junction with Manchester Old Road towards Corporation Avenue in Heywood.
No parking measures along Manchester Old Road from Croft Gates Roads during the daytime.
Side streets will also be cordoned off. Access and parking will be granted to local residents, providing they produce a utility bill to show they live in the area.
No parking measures available to be brought into force along Langley Lane if needed.
Parking enforcement officers on patrol to enforce no parking zone and grant access to locals.
Pubs and off licences have been informed and alcohol being consumed on the streets will be confiscated by police.
Alcohol bought from pubs will be served in plastic cups and drinking will be contained with the premises.
Door staff will be on duty and some pubs will close early.
Councillor Terry Linden, who has been involved in ensuring the town is ready for the gigs, said: "We have come into this quite late in the day but we have managed to get most things in place to ensure the town is able to cope.
"I don’t want to be negative about this as it could be really good for the town as there will be thousands of people coming here and visiting local businesses."
Letters are expected to be sent to local residents affected by the temporary parking restrictions in the coming days.
Next week’s Middleton Township meeting, held on 28 May, will also include a special forum for local residents to quiz officials on plans to deal with the gigs. The meeting is due to start at 6.15pm and will be held at Middleton Arena.
Source: www.middletonguardian.co.uk
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