After queues of over an hour, city centre residents have raised safety concerns and say the scheme - which is not yet complete - has 'simply not been thought through'
The decision to turn Deansgate into a one-way route for motorists has been branded an 'absolute joke' after traffic meltdown in Manchester city centre over the weekend.
Whilst general traffic can now only travel one way - southbound - from the junction with King Street West all the way down to the crossroads at Liverpool Road. However after a weekend of gridlock, city centre residents have raised safety concerns and say the scheme has 'simply not been thought through.' Business owners say the long tailbacks are a daily occurence, but are notably worse during even rush hour and also late at night over weekends.
"It’s great though for some robust cycling enthusiasts and the deliveroo drivers. I have various family and friends who have said outright they won't come to town at all until after Christmas as it’s so, so bad. And it’s bad enough the rest of the time.” “One of the big issues is there doesn't seem to be much joined up thinking between Salford and Manchester - going down Bridge Street and then Garside Street which seems to be crumbling under the pressure. There has been gridlock and traffic jams on Quay street for months so you could see this coming a mile off.
“It’s killing bars on Deansgate - if you look at it outside of Kendals and the stretch down to the Cathedral it’s now vapes and takeaways. It should be a proper thoroughfare we can be proud of. It’s not business friendly at all - anything that’s not friendly to the individual is not going to be friendly to businesses either.
"A lot of Uber drivers are saying people don't want to come into town because of the traffic, and saying they won't pick up or drop off near Deansgate. I wouldn't mind but the cycle lane, you don't see any cyclists coming around so I don't know when they're all supposed to be coming in.” "We have recently collated feedback from a wide range of our tenants and presented it to the council, who are now working with us to alleviate some of the challenges associated with the works. We accept that there is certainly no easy fix but are open to jointly working through solutions."
Rui Claro, 50, General Manager of La Vina Tapas Bar and restaurant, said: "It is chaotic. Fridays and Saturdays, the road is always absolutely jam packed. It's unbelievable." Rui said he believed more traffic lights were needed to help traffic emerge from side roads. "When its busy no one is giving them a chance and letting them in and they can't get out. It can take 10 or 15 minutes to drive five or ten metres.
"You don't really see anyone else other than Deliveroo riders using them. If it was me, I wouldn't have had it in the first place. I would have kept it how it was. "If customers find an alternative they might just not bother or go to a competitor. When we're having deliveries even getting to our back door can take a long time. We sell a lot of bulky items that customers don't take with them. We hope as they finish each phase things will improve.
Deansgate Traffic And Travel Manchester Council
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