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Manchester University swimmers Steph Porter, Graham Bell and Jill Nesbitt with FINA World Swimming Championships mascot Speedy the Swordfish.
A group of swimmers, wearing swimsuits, goggles and swimming caps, joined passengers on board a Metrolink tram.
The Manchester University swimmers swapped water for rails to encourage people to use public transport to get to the FINA World Swimming Championships at the MEN Arena next week. They were joined by five-time world swimming champion James Hickman and championship mascot Speedy the Swordfish.
Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE), which owns the Metrolink system, is providing free tram travel for 1,800 accredited staff, volunteers and athletes taking part in the championships.
Michael Renshaw, GMPTE's Interim Service Delivery Director, said: "The MEN Arena is right next to Manchester Victoria train station so it makes sense for people to use public transport to get there."
"There's a Metrolink stop inside the station and the tram links up with several other bus and train stations in the city centre and in the rest of Greater Manchester."
"I hope tourists and local residents who are travelling to the FINA World Swimming Championships will use public transport to get there."
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James Hickman, who's the head of PR for the championships, added: "It was fantastic to see the faces of everyone on the tram when a giant swordfish and the swim team got onboard. It certainly raised some eyebrows!"
Families travelling to the championships are being encouraged to take advantage of family tickets for unlimited travel on Metrolink throughout the day.
Manchester University swimmers Steph Porter, Graham Bell and Jill Nesbitt with FINA World Swimming Championships mascot Speedy the Swordfish. and five-time world swimming champion James Hickman
The Metromax family ticket can be used by a maximum of two adults and three children and costs £6.20 during weekdays and £5 at weekends. A two-day weekend pass is also available for £7.
The 9th FINA World Swimming Championships 2008 is being held in Manchester from 9 to 13 April.
The event will be the first of its kind to ever be staged in the UK. More than 130 countries are taking part in the championships, making this year their biggest yet.
Two temporary pools are being built in the MEN Arena, which will become the first music and entertainment venue in the UK to host competitive swimming.
Information about public transport services in Greater Manchester is available at www.gmpte.com, or by calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33. (Calls cost 10p a minute. Mobile and landline networks may charge more. Lines are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 8pm at weekends.)
These kinds of stories really frustrate me. Some of the many reasons people don't use the Metrolink to go places are it's unsafe, unreliable, overcrowded, expensive and filthy! I only use it because driving during rush hour is actually worse. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with the stress and hassle of it when not going to/from work. Stagecoach needs to actually sort the service out before they start doing idiotic promotions. No amount of marketing rub is going to shine up their poo service.
These kinds of stories really frustrate me. Some of the many reasons people don't use the Metrolink to go places are it's unsafe, unreliable, overcrowded, expensive and filthy! I only use it because driving during rush hour is actually worse. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with the stress and hassle of it when not going to/from work. Stagecoach needs to actually sort the service out before they start doing idiotic promotions. No amount of marketing rub is going to shine up their poo service.
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