By Jenna Campbell
It’s the reunion that everyone has been talking about since last summer, and this week, Oasis will finally take to the stage as the embark on their huge world tour. Almost 16 years have passed since Oasis last performed live, following a dramatic split in 2009 after a backstage bust-up. The reunion will see them play 19 dates across the UK and Ireland before an international leg including dates in America, Asia and Australia. After kicking off with two nights in Cardiff, Oasis will head to Manchester for five nights at Heaton Park on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July. Ahead of next week’s Heaton Park gigs, a warning has been issued to those heading to the shows by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). A massive moment for Greater Manchester, 340,000 people will witness the Gallagher brothers on stage across the five dates at Heaton Park – but this means people will want to start making the travel plans now. Steve Gilholme, Head of Events at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said: “People have waited years for the return of Oasis, and their homecoming gigs at Heaton Park are sure to be an ‘I was there’ moment for thousands of Mancunians and music-lovers from all over the country – and even overseas. “Those lucky enough to get tickets won’t want to miss a minute – and the best way to get to Heaton Park and back will be to take advantage of the great public transport options on offer, particularly the six-minute tram service from Victoria station. Join our Oasis WhatsApp group HERE “The city will also be playing host to a number of other big events during Oasis’ run of shows – including Kool & The Gang at AO Arena and Billie Eilish at Co-op Live. “Public transport and roads will be busier than usual during this exciting time, so we encourage everyone to allow plenty of time for their journey and check the Bee Network app or website for the latest travel advice.” TfGM’s state-of-the-art control room will also be operating 24/7 to monitor and coordinate the public transport system and respond to any emerging incidents. Travel arrangements for the hotly anticipated reunion shows have involved months of planning by TfGM and its partners and will see additional staff on the network, a more frequent and all-double tram service running to Heaton Park from Victoria station, and a shuttle bus service running from the city centre. TfGM has said that the best way for fans to beat the traffic and get to the 80,000-capacity outdoor venue will be to travel by tram. On each night, there will be a six-minute service from Victoria Station to Bury – the only city centre station with a direct tram to Heaton Park. This service will be capable of carrying 4,000 passengers an hour. Those travelling from the city centre should make their way to Victoria where they can board trams to the event. Concert-goers travelling from other lines may need to change onto a Bury-bound tram at Victoria. If you have a ticket for front standing at Heaton Park, the advice is to get off at Bowker Vale, which is the closest stop to the venue entrance on Sheepfoot Lane. The Heaton Park stop will be closed at 9pm on all nights, so Bowker Vale will be the main stop for travelling back to Bury and the city centre after the shows. Fans should also be aware that planned engineering work means there will be no trams operating from Piccadilly Station to city centre stops. Both the Bowker Vale and Heaton Park stops are just a few minutes away from the park gates, and there will be staff and signs to help gig-goers on their way. For the shows on July 11, 12, and 19, the final trams will leave for the city centre at 2.02am and for Bury at 1.16am. On July 16, the last trams will run at 1.32am to the city centre and 12.46am to Bury. It has also been suggested that those travelling on the Bury line on Friday 11 and Wednesday 16 may wish to consider working from home if possible as the tram network will be particularly busy, with longer waits for services expected. Those travelling on the Eccles and Bury line will also need to change trams to reach the city centre. There will be frequent shuttle buses from Lever Street in the Northern Quarter , which is an 11-minute walk from Piccadilly train station and a five-minute walk from Piccadilly Gardens – from 1.30pm on each event day. The last bus will depart at 7.30pm. It has been advised to travel early to avoid missing the start of the gig as later buses will be very busy. Buses will start running back to Manchester after the event from a temporary bus station inside Heaton Park, from 10pm. Buses will continue to run until all passengers have cleared the bus station. The return drop-off point in the city is Shudehill Interchange. Limited shuttlebus tickets, priced at £10, are available – but these must be purchased in advance through the Bee Network app ahead of time. There will be increased congestion and various road closures in place around Heaton Park and the surrounding areas on event dates. Heaton Park is usually served by a number of commercial bus services, from 8pm on event days these will be on put on diversion due to the road closures around the park. The city centre is also expected to be busy, with congestion around Great Ancoats Street and the surrounding areas. For those who have to drive or need to be dropped off and picked up are encouraged to consider taking advantage of the 24 park and ride sites in Greater Manchester. The park and ride sites on the Bury line are Whitefield (331 spaces and 13 disabled spaces) and Radcliffe – 480 spaces and 22 disabled spaces. Further information and advice on getting to Oasis’ Heaton Park concerts can be found here.