Major work to improve some of Manchester city centre’s main thoroughfares is set to begin next month.
After Manchester City Council shared its initial plans back in 2023 for how improvements could be made to Deansgate and Whitworth Street West, both in the heart of the city centre, as part of the ‘City Centre Active Travel Fund’, it’s now been announced that these “improvement works” are set to begin in just a couple of weeks time.
Aptly-named the Deansgate and Whitworth Street West Active Travel Scheme, the Council set out a “range of priorities” on what it wanted this scheme to achieve in the long-term.
These priorities included encouraging more people to walk and cycle, improving infrastructure to create linked-up routes throughout the city, generally improving safety, and reducing the overall amount of traffic going into the city centre.
With all of this in mind, changes are to be brought in over the coming months across three junctions along Deansgate.
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‘Improvement works’ are to begin on major Manchester city centre roads this summer / Credit: Billy Wilson (via Flickr)
Segregated cycleways, a new bus gate, improved controlled pedestrian crossings and additional zebra crossings, junctions that provide more safety for cyclists, and the creation of a rain garden, are the changes set to get underway from the start of next month until spring of next year.
As of Monday 5 August, the improvement works are to begin on parts of Deansgate, Quay Street, Peter Street, Whitworth Street West, Chester Road, and Great Jackson Street.
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Disruption is expected until spring 2025, the Council has warned.
There will be nighttime road closures in place to facilitate resurfacing between the junctions of Quay Street and Liverpool Road from the evening of Tuesday 6 August 6 until the morning of Friday 9 August 9, with closure hours being between 9pm and 4am, and a number of other temporary traffic restrictions will also be in place over the course of the scheme.
From 5 August, work will start on the Deansgate and Whitworth St West Active Travel scheme.
Work will take place between Quay St/Peter St and Bridgewater Viaduct, including Whitworth St west.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 8, 2024
A permanent one-way system is to also be put in place for southbound traffic between Quay Street and Liverpool Road from 5 August.
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“Work of this scale will naturally cause some disruption and potential delays for motorists,” the Council said in a statement, before adding that it is “grateful” for the “understanding and future patience” of all residents, businesses, and motorists in Manchester during the course of these works.
The scheme will be “routinely monitored” during its progress to allow the Council to “adapt” and “make interventions” based on the level of disruption, as well as help manage the network as effectively as possible.
Salford confirms another ex-player as new CEO of phoenix rugby club
Danny Jones
As Salford turns the page of a new chapter in its rugby league history, ex-Red Devils player Ryan Brierley has been announced as the new chief executive officer (CEO).
His appointment was confirmed on Wednesday, 24 December, giving Salford rugby fans some fresh hope over the festive period.
Brierley, who played as a full back at Salford Red Devils from 2022 before leaving for Oldham RLFC halfway through last season earlier this year, follows fellow former player Mason Caton-Brown in returning to the team in a leadership capacity.
Sharing the news on his own social media, he wrote: “Incredibly honoured to announce I have been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Salford RLFC.”
His official statement goes on to read: “I would like to place on record my gratitude to the board members Malcolm Crompton, Mason Caton Brown and Paul Hancock for this opportunity. I would also like to thank the RFL and Salford City Council for their continued support.
“Lastly, but most importantly, to the Salford fans: what we had to go through last year was heartbreaking. I think I can speak to the wider Rugby League community and echo the sentiments of all fans that no club should ever go through that experience.
“Thank you for letting me lead this organisation into a new era. I’ve always said Salford people are my people and I will protect this club, with its best interests at heart. It is important [that] expectations are managed, and patience is required.”
He signed off by simply asking for the same support he was afforded as a fan, adding: “I have no doubt in my mind that you will go above and beyond, it’s just what Salford fans do…”
Led by the aforementioned Caton-Brown (a retired winger who played for the Red Devils between 2014-26), as well as another pair of directors in Hancock and Crompton, the Salford phoenix club has officially been given a Championship license for 2026.
Although relegation from the Super League and liquidation after 152 years were dark days for the club, this new consortium has already provided fans with some promising signs.
Besides saving the Salford sporting institution from total extinction, having previous members of the old outfit who know the bones, the stadium, the culture and the city so well is obviously a big bonus.
For now, it is a race against time to get a squad ready for the season opener against Brierley’s last team, Oldham – though contracts for a head coach and several players have reportedly been “pre-agreed”.
Featured Images — John Moorhouse (via Geograph)/supplied (via Rumpus PR)
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Netflix drops the first trailer for upcoming Peaky Blinders film
Danny Jones
It looks like Christmas has come early for TV drama fans and cinephiles, because Netflix has officially dropped the first trailer for the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie.
Popcorn at the ready – even the teaser alone has got us fired up.
ln just 70 seconds, they’ve managed to pull us right back in, and we cannot wait to see Cillian Murphy back in full-on Tommy Shelby mode.
Not exaggerating when we say we have LITERAL chills.
As you can see, they certainly haven’t scrimped on the budget with the first-ever feature-length Peaky Blinders film, neither in terms of production value nor the cast.
Then again, having already hosted the likes of Sam Neill, Tom Hardy, Adrien Brody, Anya Taylor-Joy and others in the series itself, as well as going on to become one of the most successful BBC shows of all time, they were never going to.
We’re sure you spotted plenty of them for yourselves, but the debut trailer for The Immortal Man gives us not only our first glimpses of now Oscar-winning Murphy, 49, back in the saddle (both figuratively and literally) but also fellow blockbuster Irish actor, Barry Keoghan.
Other big names set to appear in the movie – set for a limited release in theatres before launching exclusively on Netflix – include Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth. It still remains unclear, however, as to how any of these characters will knit into the new season.
It’s also worth noting that the trailer shares a little snippet of the historical context, this continuation of the Shelby story is playing into, as we see what looks to be Nazi figures meeting on screen.
Creator Steven Knight has already confirmed that the plot will fast-forward some years to meet back up with Tommy at the outset of WWII and his ancestral home of Birmingham during the Blitz.
Having already confirmed 6 March as the theatrical release date ahead of it going live on Netflix a fortnight later, the anticipation was seriously starting to ramp; this latest look has only added to the tinderbox of excitement.
What do you make of the Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man trailer, and will you be watching it?
Emily Sergeant -
10th July 2024 
