Anger at city traffic chaos

BIKE LANE EXPANSION ON DEANSGATE BRANDED 'AN ABSOLUTE JOKE' AND DETRIMENTAL TO BUSINESSES

- CHRIS SLATER

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.

Drivers were left in queues of over an hour at a time as Deansgate and surrounding roads were jammed into total gridlock across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In chaotic scenes, some motorists began mounting pavements to try to get through, with videos circulating online of fights breaking out among motorists stuck in the jams.

Since the start of the pandemic, bike lanes have been put in place on Deansgate in an effort to promote walking and cycling in town.

Temporary lanes lanes were later replaced by black-and-white bollards which are officially called 'wand orcas' There is now a cycle lane on one side the length of the road. The stretch of the road carrying traffic from Blackfriars to King Street West is restricted to buses only.

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.

Work on the final stretch of cycle lane from the junction with Peter Street to near the Beetham Tower began in August and is ongoing.

That stretch of cycle lane is not yet open but traffic is down to one lane, with temporary lights currently in place at the end of Deansgate.

Manchester City Council said a number of events over the weekend meant it was extremely busy on the roads in the city centre.

They say 'the city is changing' and with improvements to walking, cycling and public transport routes they are transforming Deansgate 'from a traditional vehicle route to a place to visit and enjoy! However after a weekend of gridlock, city centre residents have raised safety concerns and say the scheme has 'simply not been thought through.