Holiday shoppers and football fans clashed on Monday at the Trafford Centre, causing gridlock and chaos. Drivers were stranded for hours in overflowing car parks, leading to frustrated confrontations and delays for cinemagoers.
A combination of shoppers and football fans led to gridlock around the Trafford Centre on Monday. There were chaotic scenes last night with some drivers reported being stuck in the centre's car parks, and on nearby roads, for several hours. Witnesses said children were left in tears and that there were fights amongst motorists who became angry and frustrated as they were left stranded in their vehicles.
One couple who came to see a film at the cinema said they were unable to even leave their parking space for five hours as cars piled up and scuffles broke out around them in what they said was a 'Christmas nightmare.' Trafford Centre bosses have now attributed the carnage to a 'perfect storm' of shoppers and football fans. Monday was said to have been 'very busy' at the mall. However, bosses say the number of visitors was not any higher than on many of the other busy days across the festive period, where there had been no similar issues. Instead, they believe 'external factors' - most notably Manchester United being at home- meant the roads around the centre became clogged leaving shoppers unable to get off the car parks, causing queues which backed up onto the site. United took on Newcastle in a sell game, kick-off 8pm, and the M60 and roads in and around Trafford were heaving with fans making their way to Old Trafford, the Trafford Centre said. The nearby Trafford Retail Park, nearby hotels and leisure hotels such as the Chill Factore were also said to be busy in the period between Christmas and New Year when families have a lot of downtime. Bosses said there were spaces on the car parks throughout but that the issue was motorists being able to get in and out of the site. All available Trafford Centre staff, including managers and staff based in their offices, were sent out onto the car parks to try and help people and direct traffi
TRAFFORD CENTRE GRIDLOCK FOOTBALL FANS CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TRAFFIC JAM
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