From tomorrow (Friday 3 July), Stevenson Square and Ducie Street will become closed to traffic, with Stevie Square becoming a temporary pedestrian and cycle-only zone.
As the Manchester plans for the end of the coronavirus lockdown, and following the extended closure times of Thomas Street in May, Manchester City Council has now decided to make two further road closures in the area to help with social distancing.
The council say that the new closures will support those returning to the city and will begin to rebuild the economy. They are also making Withy Grove a one-way system to encourage walking and cycling in the area.
From tomorrow (Friday 3 July), to allow for more space for pedestrians, we will temporarily close Ducie Street and Stevenson Square.
To improve traffic flow in the area we're also making Withy Grove one-way.
— Manchester City Council #StayHomeSaveLives (@ManCityCouncil) July 2, 2020
The changes, which are currently down as temporary, were confirmed after feedback from a consultation about walking and cycling in the Northern Quarter was carried out earlier this year. The feedback saw a significant number of people calling for more pedestrianisation of the Northern Quarter – including the closure of Stevenson Square, and improvements in the Ducie Street (Piccadilly Station approach) area.
The changes to Stevenson Square will take place from 6am tomorrow (Friday 3), and will turn the area into a traffic-free zone in which people can spend more time. It will also create an opportunity for businesses to use the pavements for seating, thanks to the additional space and reduced pollution.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ducie Street, will close at the same hour, from its junction with the A6 at Piccadilly to its junction with Dale Street. This will “remove the need for pedestrians to gather in large groups waiting at the traffic lights,” and will “reduce the number of vehicles choosing to drive through the city centre,” according to the Manchester City Council website.
Additionally, as mentioned above, feedback in the consultation earlier this year showed that people were concerned about the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in the Withy Grove area. The council will now make Withy Grove a one-way system in order to improve traffic flow and reduce the need for pedestrians to congregate outside The Printworks.
All of these changes will take place from tomorrow and while announced as temporary, are likely to stay in place for some time as the city’s pedestrianisation continues to ramp up. Find out more here.
News
Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre
Daisy Jackson
Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.
Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.
A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.
Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.
It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.
Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.
As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.
Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.
The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.
Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.
Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.
The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.
Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.
Sam Ridgway -
2nd July 2020 
