Andy Burnham to have ‘honest review’ into Manchester travel chaos

Motorists and public transport passengers faced long delays with standstill traffic seen across the city centre last weekend. A ‘do not drive’ into town warning was issued ahead of what was billed as ‘Manchester’s busiest weekend of the year’ as thousands flocked to the Christmas Markets, Manchester derby, and Paul McCartney gigs at Co-op Live.

Anger has been directed at a roadwork scheme on Deansgate in particular, however. The project, which started in August, will finish in the spring and install a new cycle lane and make the road a one-way, southbound-only for motor traffic.

Manchester council says it will assess the impact of the cycle lane once it opens next year. However, Andy Burnham says he will meet with Bev Craig, leader of Manchester city council, and Paul Dennett, mayor of Salford city council, next month for an ‘honest review’.

“I have called a meeting in mid-January with the leader of Manchester city council and the Salford city council mayor,” the Greater Manchester mayor said on BBC Radio Manchester on Thursday (December 19).

“I think we have to review everything and come up with a plan to make it sustainable. We need to have an honest look at everything after December. December is always the hardest because the pressure on the roads is huge.

“I am going to have an honest review to look at it and come back to [this programme] with how we will make the whole place function better.”

While Mr Burnham recognised there were ‘significant roadworks on Deansgate’, he put the chaos down to ‘other things’.

He went on: “The Christmas Markets have been hugely popular and Co-op Live has changed things. It’s put more footfall into the city and put more cars into the city as the audience is older so more people are driving. People also do not trust the trains.”

His belief is problems will ease in the long-run if more people ‘get public transport into the city centre like they do in London’.