Manchester council is asking people to share their views on how it should spend £14m to transform Deansgate. The town hall wants to turn this city centre 'destination' from being a 'traffic dominated environment' to one that is safer at night with better air quality and more space for walking and cycling.
It comes after part of the major city centre road was closed to cars with fines set to come into force this week. The new 'bus gate' means only buses, taxis and cycles can go south on Deansgate from Blackfriars to King Street West.
Last year, the local authority also set out plans for two-way segregated cycle lanes on Deansgate and new pedestrian crossings near the train station with only buses, hackney carriages and cycles allowed on Whitworth Street West. The latest scheme is for four sections of the street, from Victoria Bridge Street near Manchester Cathedral to Liverpool Street by Beetham Tower.
Manchester council has applied for £14m of government funding through the City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement. The council has now commissioned a team to develop a design for Deansgate with a vision of making it a place that 'puts those using sustainable transport modes first'.
The funding has been provisionally allocated to the scheme, but the council will still need to present a business case for it before it is formally signed off. The council says this project will build on the interim work which has already taken place along Deansgate over the past three years as well as feedback businesses and the community to produce a permanent layout for the road.
Labour councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is Manchester council's executive member for environment and transport said: "Deansgate is a hugely important Manchester landmark. It’s not only a hub for business and the night-time economy, but it is a vital link that connects our city’s neighbourhoods.
"Through previous consultations and engagement with the public we know that Deansgate can be improved. The steps we have taken so far to move the area away from being dominated by cars, to an environment where sustainable transport is favoured have been met with broad support.
"We think there are incredibly strong foundations to transform Deansgate into something even better. As well as improving a vital part of Manchester we also believe this shift to more sustainable travel will play an important role in our ambition to become a zero-carbon city by 2038."
Read more of today's top stories here.
READ NEXT:
Bigger council tax discount for poorest Mancunians voted down
'Why foodbank donations are dropping as more and more people ask for help'
Ukrainian refugees thank Greater Manchester on anniversary of Russian invasion
Average business rates bill set to drop by 3.2 pc across the region
Keir Starmer's promise to prevent another Awaab Ishak tragedy
