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.
Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall
Emily Sergeant
A new era for The Orient is on the horizon, as the Trafford Centre has begun its months-long refresh of its iconic foodhall.
Forming part of its ongoing commitment to ‘enhancing the visitor experience’, the Trafford Centre is investing in a major refresh of seating and customer facilities within The Orient – creating a more vibrant and welcoming environment for guests to eat, meet and relax.
Works are now underway and will be delivered in phases over the coming months.
Improvements are being carried out in phases to minimise disruption to shoppers, while creating a more comfortable and contemporary dining environment at the same time.
The refreshed area will increase seating capacity by more than 60%, introducing a range of new seating styles in the process – including banquettes, family-friendly tables, accessible seating for guests with mobility requirements, and dedicated areas equipped with phone and laptop charging facilities.
The Trafford Centre begins months-long refurb of its iconic The Orient foodhall / Credit: The Manc Group
Inspired by The Orient’s longstanding maritime heritage, the design takes cues from a contemporary cruise liner, and the space will also feature upgraded furniture and enhanced lighting, alongside flexible areas designed to encourage visitors to spend more time in there.
There’ll also be modern furnishings and a ‘refreshed’ colour palette to create a brighter and welcoming environment.
“The Orient is one of the most popular destinations within Trafford Centre, welcoming millions of visitors each year,” a Trafford Centre spokesperson said on the refurb.
“This investment reflects our commitment to continually improving the experience for our guests, creating a more modern, comfortable and social environment where visitors can meet, dine and spend time together.
“The improvements will not only significantly increase seating capacity but also deliver a much more flexible and accessible space for all visitors to enjoy.”
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Uber has officially started trialling driverless taxis in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… driverless taxis have hit the streets of Manchester.
As the leading transportation company looks to bring robotaxis to other major cities around the UK, it has been confirmed that a trial of autonomous vehicles is now underway in Manchester – with the services being operated using the technology of Uber’s partner firms, Pony and Verne.
Uber said it was ‘excited’ to take this first step toward ‘making this technology accessible’ to people across the UK.
The three companies first collaborated on the deployment of a commercial robotaxi service back in March of this year, combining Pony.ai’s autonomous driving system, Uber’s global mobility platform, and Verne’s service ecosystem and operational framework.
At this time, there has been no official application to launch passenger services in Manchester, according to The Guardian.
However, posts on various social media platforms – such as X, LinkedIn, and Instagram – by each of the companies this week have confirmed that trials are underway in the city.
“New technologies play an increasingly important role in the growth of our city region,” TfGM said. “But they need to be introduced responsibly, safely and with real thought about what it means for our residents.
“Safety will always be our top priority, and we will need strong assurances that no vehicles will operate on our roads that pose any risk to residents.”
Manchester, we’re on our way! Today, we’re announcing that we’re partnering with @Verne_robotaxi and @PonyAI_tech to pilot autonomous vehicles in Manchester. Building on our service together in Zagreb, Gen-7 Robotaxis are now testing in Manchester.
We’re excited to take this first step toward making this technology accessible to people across the UK. 🇬🇧
“By bringing together Pony.ai’s proven autonomous driving technology, Verne’s operational and market expertise, and Uber’s global platform, we’re taking an important step toward making autonomous ride-hailing available to more riders in more places.”
Emily Sergeant -
10th July 2024 
