Pedestrian-friendly plans on how to improve the A34 Salford to Cooper Street corridor are set to go out for public consultation.
The stretch of road – which comprises of Bridge Street, John Dalton Street and Princess Street – runs from the beginning of the A34 in Salford to the junction of Cooper Street, adjacent to the Old Town Hall and Cenotaph in the city centre.
This vital link in the city centre’s highway network links key destinations including the Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester Courts and Salford Central Railway Station.
As part of the Council’s long-term ambition for 90% of peak morning trips into the city centre to be made by foot, cycle or public transport before 2040, options are being explored on how progress can be made on that ambition over the coming years.
Some of the suggested plans include:
- Provide more space on pavements for people to walk
- Widen pedestrian crossings
- Improve pedestrian crossing on narrow side streets by raising the carriageway to slow turning vehicles
- Provide new controlled crossings
- Reduce road widths to reduce traffic speeds and encourage drivers to park and stop elsewhere
- Help public transport flow more smoothly
- Improve bus stops by increasing space for people to wait
- Create pleasant spaces for people to spend time in and walk through to key city centre destinations
The Council wants Manchester to be a vibrant and great place to live and work. Somewhere that people choose to make their home or pay a visit, with clean air, safe roads and green, pleasant streets. To achieve this ambition big changes will have to be made if we are to have the city centre we deserve.
This will mean putting in place progressive and green policies to clean up our air, as well as encouraging a shift in how people get around, from polluting vehicles to environmentally friendly ways of travel.
Making it easier for people to walk down the street, removing clutter and improving safety is just one of the ways the Council is exploring as part of this consultation. However, it is vital that the public has their say on the future of the city centre before any final plans are made.
Detailed proposals will be made available in person and online as part of a consultation.
By visiting the Council’s website at manchester.gov.uk/consultations or emailing a34corridor@manchester.gov.uk members of the public will be able to have their say.
An in-person event will also be held where questions can be answered and feedback given.
It will take place at:
4pm to 7pm, Tuesday 13 February at Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS
An online public meeting will also take place:
6.30pm to 7.30pm, Thursday 15 February. Please email a34corridor@manchester.gov.uk to receive a link to a Microsoft Teams meeting.
The consultation window will be open from Thursday February 1, until Friday, March 8, 2024.
Any feedback taken will be used to form the next stage of the design process before any further consultation takes place.
Please let us have your feedback by Friday 8 March 2024. We can then use it to inform changes to the next design stage, before further consultation takes place.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “The Council has lofty ambitions on how we can make the city a vibrant and attractive place to work, visit and live. As part of that we have to be bold in making changes which will help us improve air quality, as well as improve the experience of people who travel through the city centre.
“We are in the early stages of a developing a plan for the A34, so I would encourage everyone to look through our plans and make their opinions known to us.
“Manchester city centre is for everyone which is why we want to hear from as many people as possible.”