Barriers to be installed under Mancunian Way to prevent ‘persistent dangerous parking’
The council said that drivers entering and exiting the area to park posed "a clear risk" to other road users due to the obstruction caused to the carriageway.
Manchester City Council has confirmed that barriers are to be installed along the underside of the Mancunian Way to prevent “persistent dangerous parking”.
The decision comes after motorists were found to have been using the land directly underneath the motorway to park for free for a number of months, instead of using dedicated car parks in the city centre.
The council said that drivers entering and exiting the area to park posed “a clear risk” to other road users due to the obstruction caused to the carriageway.
But as “dangerous and frustrating” as this situation was, a legal technicality actually prevented Manchester City Council’s enforcement officers from issuing fines to these motorists as the Mancunian Way overpass and the land underneath is managed by Highways England and is not part of the council’s adopted road network.
This meant that a Traffic Regulation Order could not legally be issued, nor could officers fine offenders.
However, the council said it so “determined” to prevent this behaviour continuing, that since it first came to light all the back near the start of 2020, it has been working to secure funding for a permanent solution.
And so, the council confirmed that work has begun at 5am this morning to install metal barriers along the length of the route to close it off to any drivers attempting to park on it. to install metal barriers along the length of the route to close it off to any drivers attempting to park on it.
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This temporary measure will be followed up in several weeks time when a permanent wooden rail will be installed.
The council said it will be working with Greater Manchester Police during this period to “prevent any further breach of this new perimeter fencing”.
Manchester Council spent a huge deal of money landscaping this junction under the Mancunian Way.
And yet now it's just used as commuter parking with no enforcement or preventative measures. Pretty embarrassing pic.twitter.com/jgfnXlOCvV
Speaking on the decision to install the barriers, Councillor Tracey Rawlins – Executive Member for Environment at Manchester City Council – said: “People taking it upon themselves to park under the Mancunian Way were posing a serious threat to other road users and this was something we could not allow to keep happening.
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“The road is fast moving and leads into other major routes in and out of the city and frankly, it is amazing that a serious accident has not taken place as a result.
“A lot of money has been wasted to rectify damage caused to the landscaping areas, and even more will now be spent to close this area off permanently.
“There are thousands of other car parking spaces in the city centre which I would encourage drivers to use, or, for those who are able, walk, cycle or take advantage of public transport links which run in and out of Manchester.”
Greater Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Dozens of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
People in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 26 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launched this past Saturday (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Mana, Erst, Climat, 10 Tib Lane, Ezra & Gill, Tartuffe, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
The funds raised by StreetSmart in Greater Manchester this year will support the crucial work of organisations such as CentrePoint, which funds Independent Living Advisors for young people, and Real Change Manchester, which plugs into the existing homelessness charities to provide that extra boost of funding that makes all the difference.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2025, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
News
Police appeal for information after pedestrian killed on Mancunian Way followed earlier welfare concern reports
Emily Sergeant
Police are continuing to appeal for information after a pedestrian was killed on Mancunian Way during the early hours.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that the shocking incident occurred at approximately 12:50am on Friday 31 October when it was reported that a Volkswagen Passat had collided with a man in his 20s.
Sadly, the collision was fatal and the pedestrian died at the scene.
The driver of the Volkswagen, a man in his 40s, was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Following the incident, subsequent police enquiries have established that a call was made to the force shortly after midnight which reported concern for a man walking on the carriageway, and GMP says it believes the man in that report was the man who was involved in the fatal collision.
Officers were sent out as ‘high priority’ to carry out an extensive search of the surrounding area after the report was made, but it was said that they couldn’t locate him.
#UPDATE | Officers are continuing to appeal for information following the fatal collision on Mancunian Way this morning.
We have referred ourselves to the IPOC after reports that the victim was possibly spotted on the carriageway earlier that morning.
— Manchester City Centre Police (GMP) (@GMPCityCentre) October 31, 2025
Due to this earlier report, GMP has confirmed that it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to look into its response to the search.
The victim’s family is aware, have been updated, and they are being supported by specialist officers at this time.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is still appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward, and are particularly keen to speak to anyone who may have CCTV footage, dashcam, or mobile phone footage from the area in the moments leading up to the incident.
“This is a tragic incident for all involved and we express our deepest condolences to the family of the man who has lost his life, and whom we are doing our utmost to support at this time,” commented Sergeant Andrew Page.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting log number 111 of the 31/10/25, or by using the ‘report tool’ or LiveChat function on the GMP website – www.gmp.police.uk
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The Manc -
15th September 2021 
