{"id":95917,"date":"2025-05-12T17:47:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T17:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/95917\/"},"modified":"2025-05-12T17:47:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T17:47:12","slug":"anybody-who-thinks-this-is-a-good-thing-is-an-idiot-m-e-n-readers-divided-on-controversial-roadworks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/95917\/","title":{"rendered":"“Anybody who thinks this is a good thing is an idiot”: M.E.N. readers divided on controversial roadworks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Commuters reported hour-long tailbacks last week as buses got gridlocked(Image: Josh Hunter)<\/p>\n

Controversial city centre roadworks have sparked a debate among Manchester Evening News readers after motorists reported \u2018queues up to an hour\u2019.<\/p>\n

Salford<\/a> council is currently installing bike lanes and improved pedestrian walkways on Chapel Street, in the city centre, resulting in one lane being closed and temporary traffic lights being installed. The roadworks will be in place until spring 2026.<\/p>\n

Images of long tail-backs have been shared since the closure came into effect at the start of May, with one photograph showing an incredible 40 buses gridlocked during last Thursday\u2019s (May 8) rush hour.<\/p>\n

Residents nearby say they\u2019ve \u2018never seen it like this before\u2019, with Josh Hunter adding: \u201cIt can get busy before the Christmas<\/a> markets, but not like this. You can’t imagine the delays for the people stuck on the buses at the back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Have you been impact by the roadworks? Tell us in our survey below.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, M.E.N. readers have had their say on the project, with Helen Marsh commenting on a social media post driving into town from Leigh was \u2018so frustrating\u2019.<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cIt took me one-and-a-half hours to do a 13 mile journey from Leigh into Manchester [on] Thursday morning. It was gridlocked, cars blocking junctions because the lights turn before you can move, horn beeping everywhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s like doing a day’s work before you actually arrive at work. The people making the decisions about all these road closures\/works, cycle lanes etc should be made to commute for one month every weekday at peak times to try and arrive in an office for 9am and to leave and get back home to childcare closing at 6pm before they make any decision.<\/p>\n

\u201cIts turning people off travelling into the city centre for work and shopping \u2014 which is the opposite of what I assume the intentions are. So frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n

(Image: UGC)<\/p>\n

Rob Hotchkiss also commented that he\u2019d \u2018spent two hours to do five miles\u2019 on the same evening, and slammed the scheme: \u201cAnybody who thinks this is a good thing is an idiot, doesn\u2019t live in the real world and I can guarantee if they carry on with these ideas it will kill Manchester. I have had my business in Manchester for 12 years and worked here for 25+ and soon as we can realistically move out of there we will be.\u201d<\/p>\n

But other readers say the congestion is part of a wider problem of there being \u2018too many cars\u2019 on the roads.<\/p>\n

Andrea Smith said: \u201cToo many cars and public transport on the roads now, some families have two cars or more. [There\u2019s] pollution, roads [and] small towns can\u2019t deal with it anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shaun Cummins commented there will be a \u2018long term gain\u2019. He said: \u201cShort term pain for long term gain, just think of all the cyclists using the new shiny cycle lanes away from pedestrians and traffic, how safe will Manchester’s roads and footways be in the very near future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Olga Shaw also thought people\u2019s attitudes didn\u2019t help. She posted: \u201cAll of this lack of patience and anger of motorists just shows the mentality of people today.\u201d<\/p>\n

The vision for Chapel Street(Image: Salford council)<\/p>\n

In response to complaints, a Salford council spokesperson previously said: “Salford City Council recognise that any scheme of this scale is going to be disruptive, especially in the early stages while all road users get used to the new arrangements. We are working closely with Transport for Greater Manchester and constantly monitoring traffic flows in the area.<\/p>\n

“Adjustments have been made to signals’ operation at key junctions at Chapel Street\/Blackfriars Road, Trinity Way\/Blackfriars Road, and Trinity Way\/Chapel Street to ease the congestion issues. While we recognise there have been delays during peak times, we would like to reassure residents and all road users that the one-way closure on Chapel Street represents the best solution currently available to deliver the works safely and efficiently.<\/p>\n

“The set up balances the needs of local residents and businesses whilst maintaining the operation of public transport and general traffic flow with a provision for pedestrians and cyclists, whilst providing an adequate space for the works in a built up and very constricted city centre environment.<\/p>\n

“We are working with the works’ contractor to ensure the project is constructed in the shortest possible timeframe to minimise disruption. The works are part of a long-term plan to enhance the area and build high quality, safer pedestrian and cycling provision across the city centre.<\/p>\n

“Public realm improvements will see the installation of rain gardens, planting beds and new trees introduced. There will also be upgraded surfaces and new street furniture to create a more inviting and dynamic space for all to enjoy.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Commuters reported hour-long tailbacks last week as buses got gridlocked(Image: Josh Hunter) Controversial city centre roadworks have sparked…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":95918,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8813],"tags":[748,393,4884,2465,8086,285,1290,27605,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-95917","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manchester","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-england","10":"tag-great-britain","11":"tag-manchester","12":"tag-manchester-city-centre","13":"tag-politics","14":"tag-salford","15":"tag-salford-council","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114496120305727816","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95917","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95917"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95917\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95917"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95917"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95917"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}