The statement came in response to a frustrated commuter.
Lucy Powell(Image: Manchester Evening News)
A Manchester MP has suggested the long-term goal for the city is to see ‘fewer people coming into the centre in cars’ after she was confronted with complaints about endless roadworks and traffic changes.
Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central, was grilled on BBC Radio Manchester’s hotseat after a frustrated Salford resident wrote in about ‘roadworks, road closures, and one way streets happening over night’ on his daily commute.
The resident wrote: “What the hell is going on in central Manchester? Roadworks, road closures, one way streets happening over night. I live in Salford – 1.5 miles took me one and a half hours to get home last night.”
Frustration has been mounting, especially among drivers between Salford and Manchester, who are facing months of ‘traffic chaos’ on Chapel Street. Roadworks set to last up to a year are currently in place as the council installs new bike lanes, pedestrian areas and spaces for buses.
(Image: Antony / LDRS)
Sitting in for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, Ms Powell said she has ‘fallen foul’ of the traffic issues herself in recent weeks. Though she frequently ‘knocks on doors’ about highways complaints in the city centre, she admitted she’s ‘not had much of an effect’.
“These issues are for the council and not myself,” she added. “I have [knocked on doors]. I have. Deansgate has been made one-way in many sections which has caused a lot of consternation, and there are many other issues there.
“Looking ahead over time, obviously you want fewer people to be coming into the city centre in cars and using public transport and other means to do that.
“I get lobbied a lot about the road works, the cost of parking, and all of those things in town. I’ve not had that much of an effect so far.”
(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
The works between Salford and Manchester are intended to ‘rebalance the space in favour of pedestrians and cyclists’, according to Salford council. But motorists have reported 20 to 40 minute delays on the route since May, with many worrying it will cause access issues for emergency vehicles and have a knock-on impact on local trade.
Salford Council have previously stated that ‘any scheme of this scale is going to be disruptive’ and that delays were likely, but that the one-way system ‘represented the best solution currently available to deliver the works safely and efficiently’.
There are currently 16 road closures or high impact road works in place in the city centre, with more than 50 additional works in place heading out towards Salford, according to Transport for Greater Manchester. These include temporary one-way systems on Chapel Street (A6), road closures on Aytoun Street, a lane closure on Portland Street, and other works on Fairfield Street off the Mancunian Way.