Fights broke out on Deansgate, but it might just have been the tip of the iceberg, Tom George reports on the battle for the heart of the city - SPECIAL REPORT
Four days before Christmas, two regulars sit by the bar of a city centre pub. They have one thing on their minds.The previous night was Mad Friday - or at least it was meant to be - and the pair are offering their views on why the city's streets were so deserted on what was traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year.
The disruption was blamed on ongoing work to create a new cycle lane along Deansgate, and sparked a debate about the role of cars in a rapidly expanding city centre.For decades, the car has dominated Manchester's urban landscape. Our streets have been designed around them but things appear to be changing.The town hall has also announced plans to reduce the speed limit on city centre streets to 20mph.
Some parts of the city are 1.3 times the current UK legal limit and more than five times over the recommended World Health Organisation limits for air pollution, research by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs found.
Meanwhile, data published by TfGM shows that in 2023, nearly 500,000 trips were made to the city centre each day. Almost half of those journeys were in private vehicles compared to 20pc on foot, 14pc by train or tram, and just 9pc by bus. The problems caused by Manchester's traffic-clogged streets may be undeniable, but not everyone agrees on the best solution. The ire directed towards the Deansgate cycle lane scheme is a case in point.
The concept of traffic-free streets is not new to Manchester. Market Street has been closed to cars since 1981 but the appetite for pedestrianisation has intensified in recent years. Car parking is another contentious issue. As the city centre has expanded north into Ancoats, the number of parking spaces is becoming increasingly few and far between. Many of the cheaper car parks on the edge of town have disappeared to make way for the rapid spread of flats and office developments.
The 685-space car park offers city centre residents space to park their car but council chiefs have described it as 'surplus' - insisting it is a magnet for anti-social behaviour and 'inappropriate' for its location. But when it comes to alternative transport options, public confidence appears to be in short supply. Many of those who drive into town say they have no other choice due to the unpredictability of our railways and bus timetable.
"Sometimes I'm late for appointments. The other day I ended up having to get a £10 taxi because the bus never turned up." Ruth Sheridan and Trish Gee have come out for lunch in Ancoats with their mum, Sheila Collins. Ms Collins, 85, is disabled, so her daughters say they have no other option but to drive.
Others who drive into town say they do so with reluctance. Lee Troughton works at Up & Running, in Deansgate, and drives from Ramsbottom - a journey that takes him about 30 minutes. The alternative, he says, is a bus that can take more than an hour to reach the city centre. "It's a daft idea, but to do that you have to give people an alternative. Driving into town is a luxury people have got used to and feel entitled about.
Mark Wrigley, the owner of Atlas bar, is one of those who has had to contend with the roadworks on Deansgate. While the traffic troubles have impacted deliveries and bin collections, he is supportive of plans to reduce car usage. On weekends, Mr Wrigley said Deansgate often resembles a "car park", which makes it difficult for his customers to order taxis.
"From here to the nearest next postcode, which is Hulme, M15, it can take 35 minutes when its only a mile away," Uber driver Mohin Khan told the Manchester Evening News last month. "Town is growing. They need to make the roads wider, not smaller. We're not Holland. If you go down Oxford Road, no one uses those cycle lanes. It's a waste of money."
When it comes to restricting car access to the city centre, there are some who argue that the council is not ambitious enough, especially in comparison with cities elsewhere in Europe. Harry Gray, from Walk Ride Greater Manchester, added: "It's really important that the city centre is a place where public transport, walking and cycling are prioritised over driving.
"It can't just be a car park for the entire region. More cars is not the solution or else you get more gridlock. It is Mr Burnham's belief that problems will ease in the long-run if more people ‘get public transport into the city centre like they do in London’.
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