The plans to turn Castlefield Viaduct into an urban park, similar to New York’s High Line, have been approved – and it could open as soon as summer.
The ambitious vision will see the Grade II-listed industrial structure turned into an urban oasis.
The 300m-long viaduct has been out of use and left to decay for more than 50 years.
Manchester City Council has now given the National Trust the green light to go ahead with the plans.
The park will initially be a temporary addition to the city centre, while the charity tests ideas and gathers feedback.
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How Castlefield Viaduct currently looks. Credit: National Trust
The initial plan is to open the park next summer for a year, with free entry made with a booking system to manage numbers.
The middle section of the viaduct will be transformed into a bee- and butterfly-friendly area filled with plants and foliage, while a covered area will show visitors the future vision for the structure.
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Duncan Laird, head of urban places at the National Trust, said: “We’re delighted that our temporary planning application has been given the green light by Manchester City Council.
“It’s a positive step towards realising our plans, and those of our partners and supporters.
How it will look, potentially as soon as next summer. Credit: Twelve Architects & Masterplanners
“Earlier this year we invited the public to share their thoughts and give feedback on our plans to open the viaduct as a temporary urban park.
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“We were encouraged by the positive response we received with so many people sharing our excitement about the potential benefits the viaduct could have on the area and those who live locally.
“We’re still in conversation with a number of key organisations whose support we need to make this a reality for Manchester, but we’re looking forward to sharing more news on our plans and progress in the New Year.”
Mike Innerdale, regional director for the north at the National Trust, added: “The pandemic showed us the importance of our local parks and gardens, but it also highlighted significant inequalities in access to green space in urban areas like Manchester.
Read more: This company replants your Christmas tree – then rents it back to you every year
“The approval of our temporary planning application means we can progress with our ambitions to transform the viaduct into an accessible green space for the 50,000 residents living within a twenty-minute walk of the area.
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“We also want to share the viaduct’s story with the people of Manchester, many of whom are likely to have walked on the cobbles underneath this mighty heritage structure, or spotted it on the Castlefield skyline, without knowing its history.
“The viaduct has stood in Manchester for over 125 years and we want to help the city to protect it, injecting the viaduct with a new lease of life so it becomes a space people can use and be proud of.
“We hope that by testing ideas, finding out what people really need from this unique space, and growing the number of supporters who can help us to make this happen, we can create something that will benefit generations for many years to come.”
Featured image: Twelve Architects & Masterplanners
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Further disruption expected as more bus strikes announced across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Further disruption is expected as even more bus strikes have been announced across Greater Manchester this autumn.
It comes after the strikes set to place this month from 19 to 22 September were announced a couple of weeks back, and now a second round will take place towards the end of this month and going into early October.
In case this is the first you’re hearing of the upcoming industrial action, 2,000 workers who are employed by Stagecoach, Metroline Manchester, and First Bus Rochdale – all of which are firms among those that make up the bus part of the Bee Network – are due to walk out in a co-ordinated strike amid an ongoing pay dispute.
Unite the Union says all the firms are ‘highly profitable’ and it’s therefore ‘disappointing’ that workers are being denied a fair wage.
More strikes have been announced on the Bee Network this month / Credit: TfGM
At Stagecoach, around 1,000 drivers based across the Oldham, Stockport, and Middleton depots have rejected a pay offer of 3.5%, and 1,000 Metroline Manchester members will also do the same after turning down an ‘unsatisfactory’ below-inflation pay offer.
Workers at both Metroline and Stagecoach believe the offer doesn’t address years of low pay they’ve recieved, especially given the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Then, over at First Bus Rochdale, 110 members have rejected this year’s pay offer of 6%, as they feel this does not go far enough to address the fact they’ve had years of being paid less than their counterparts at other companies, and are still the lowest paid in the region.
Stagecoach, Metroline, and First Bus Rochdale, part of First Group PLC, are all firms which have seen a rise in profits in recent years.
2,000 drivers are set to stage strike action over two different periods / Credit: TfGM
The second round of strikes will now take place from from 30 September to 2 October.
Speaking ahead of both sets of upcoming strikes, Unite General Secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “These companies are very profitable but are putting greed over their hardworking members of staff.
“Further strike action will be extremely disruptive, however this is a dispute entirely of the bus companies’ making and they could solve it easily by coming back with a better deal.
“Our members involved in the dispute have Unite’s complete support.”
Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden, added: “The strikes this week as well as the further action we have called will cause travel chaos in Greater Manchester. However, it is entirely the fault of the employers involved, who have failed to address the issue of low pay and reward their staff accordingly.
“Unite is not afraid to escalate to more strikes, which will only intensify going forward.
“It is time for the employers to make an offer that is acceptable to our members to resolve this disruption.”
Featured Image – TfGM
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Police appeal after Bolton woman, 24, dies in collision following suspected ‘medical episode’
Emily Sergeant
An appeal for information and witnesses has been issued following a fatal collision in Bolton earlier this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that at around 7pm on Tuesday (16 September), a car was travelling eastbound along Chorley Old Road, near to the Horwich area of Bolton, when it is believed to have lost control and collided with a wall.
Sadly, the driver of the car – a woman aged 24 – died at the scene, and it is believed she may have had a suspected ‘medical episode’.
No other vehicles were involved in the shocking incident.
#APPEAL | Officers are appealing for information following a fatal traffic collision in Bolton yesterday evening (16 September 2025).
The road was closed for large part of Tuesday evening, close to the junctions with Old Kiln Lane and Walker Fold Road – with at least six police cars reported to be in attendance at one point, as well as several paramedics and even an air ambulance.
Police are still investigating the full circumstances of the collision, and are now asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident to get in touch.
This also includes anyone with dashcam, CCTV, or doorbell footage which capturing the collision.
Daisy Jackson -
24th November 2021 
