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Why and how we care for roads

Well maintained roads are key to growing Manchester’s economy and residents’ quality of life. We prioritise spending on roads because of the long-term and short-term benefits for the life of our residents and our whole region.

Good roads are great for local people – getting us to our health and educational services and to work. They also take us to the leisure, entertainment and relaxation we need for a good social life and strong communities.

Well maintained local roads shape our neighbourhoods, feeding local centres so they can thrive. They give quick, easy access to local services for those in need and help support vulnerable people in their own community.

We also need good roads to grow our local economy – that’s essential to get Manchester people benefitting from our region’s potential. Roads literally take people to the jobs and homes being created, they deliver the goods that our businesses and services create and they free visitors to explore and enjoy our region.

We gear road investment to:

  • Boost the region’s economy with:
    • transport links connecting businesses to customers, workers to jobs and homes, and visitors to attractions
    • reliable public transport and journey times
    • forward-plan routes to upcoming developments.

 

  • Make neighbourhoods attractive and limit harm to health, safety or the climate by:
    • prioritising routes to key services
    • supporting road safety and low carbon transport
    • keeping roads in a good condition.

 

  • Maximise value for money with:
    • long-term programmes of work that support other priorities
    • joining up work on roads with other projects
    • effective maintenance that gives roads a longer life.

 

Our pledge on planning and working on Manchester’s roads. We will:

  • Set targets for work on roads, and how it’s done, then test our performance.
  • Plan the timing and lifetime of each road investment so it comes at the right time and continues to do what it’s meant to at minimum cost.
  • Prioritise and balance competing needs for roadwork so our city and its economy can grow as our residents and visitors move around our city for their work, day-to-day life and leisure.
  • Monitor, evaluate and, if needed, improve work on roads.
  • Measure and control risks on our roads.
  • Work with others to measure and improve what we do and be more efficient.

 

Prevention – better than cure

We'll spend £6m this year treating about 300 roads so they don't deteriorate further. Even though these aren't the worst roads, condition-wise, it makes sense to treat them now. It's much cheaper than waiting till a full resurface is needed. As well as filling any potholes, this treatment restores grip to the road, extending its life up to 10 years. 

 

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