It’s been confirmed that Snake Pass is to finally reopen to the public today after being closed for five weeks.
Back towards the end of February, it was revealed that sections of the A57 – which is better known as Snake Pass, and is one of the major roads through the Peak District between Manchester and Sheffield – had been structurally damaged from the recent relentless storms, Storm Eunice and Storm Franklin.
There were three active landslips at the time, with one verge dropping by as much as two metres, and major cracks to the road surface were also left, as well as there being a risk of further landslips
It meant that the road had to be closed “for quite some time” so repairs could be made.
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During the closure, Derbyshire County Council said it took the opportunity to carry out general resurfacing works, and pothole repairs, as well as rebuilding retaining walls damaged by February’s storms, while cracks in the road surface caused by the landslips were also repaired using bitumen to create a flexible seal.
📢The A57 #SnakePass reopens tomorrow pm (29/3) to all road users, including cyclists and pedestrians, but with a 7.5 tonne weight limit.📢
🚦 20mph limit + 3 sets of temporary traffic lights at Gillott Hey, Alport and Wood Cottage. 🚦
Now, the road will reopen to all road users this afternoon, including cyclists and pedestrians, but with what is being called a ‘safety first’ approach, according to Derbyshire County Council.
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The road is re-opening to traffic with three temporary single carriageway restrictions at Gillott Hey, Alport, and Wood Cottage, and traffic will be controlled by temporary traffic lights, as well as a 20mph speed limit will be in operation.
To minimise any further damage to the road at the site of the landslips, HGVs over 7.5 tonnes will be asked to follow a signed diversion route using the A6013 / A6187 / B6049 / A623 / A6 / A6015 / A624 and vice versa.
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The road will continue to be monitored using a hi-tech portable laser scanner to check for any further significant movement, Derbyshire County Council says.
“Please help us help you by allowing a little extra time for your journey, showing courtesy to other road users and keeping to the new temporary speed limit,” Councillor Kewal Singh Athwal – Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport at Derbyshire County Council – said ahead of the reopening of the road this afternoon.
Drama Call opening first-ever flagship shop in Manchester
Danny Jones
Streetwear superstars Drama Call are opening their new flagship store and first-ever permanent site in Manchester city centre this weekend.
Expect massive queues and lots turning up wearing the increasingly recognisable starry logo.
Already a much-loved brand not just here in 0161 but across the nation at large, the native independent business turned street-style favourites and UK fashion phenomenon are no strangers to HUGE pop-ups in their hometown.
However, they’ve never had a mainstay location anywhere in the country, let alone Greater Manchester – well, until now, that is…
Credit: Press shots (supplied)
Debuting in the Northern Quarter this Sunday, the venue located on Tib Street will effectively serve as Drama Call‘s new HQ.
The local label has done everything from popping up vans with Manc rapper Aitch to collaborating with Man United for multiple limited edition collections, so it only felt like a matter of time before they’d make a big brick-and-mortar splash in our fair city.
Most notably, they’re also taking over the same unit as the Sheep Shop, a former skate shop and legendary urban clothing tastemaker of the 90s; they were one of the first places in Britain to stock famous names like Stüssy, Supreme, Carhartt, The North Face and many more.
With that in mind, it feels only fitting that they carry on the trendsetting tradition from the same premises, and just spitting distance from the likes of Note, as well.
And that’s not all, either: before the full launch, they’ll also be holding an exclusive cash-only shirt swap event, where a limited number of certain collector’s items will be sold for as little as £10.
Other things to note are the additions of signed vinyls by homegrown artists such as the aforementioned Aitch and even The Smiths.
In fact, the store will also feature strictly Mancunian exclusives, too.
Everything from polo shirts and tees to branded mugs, matchboxes and other accessories will be available in-store only.
NQ is bound to be buzzing across launch weekend, with doors officially opening to the public on Sunday, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see people camping outside the front well ahead of time.
What a moment the Manc shopping scene is having right now.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Pear)
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Andy Burnham explains why Number 10 North is so important as it officially ‘opens for business’
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has explained his key reasons for launching Number 10 North as it officially ‘opens for business’ this week.
You may remember that earlier last month, Andy Burnham revealed he had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, with the new base expected to be a ‘dominant driver of the UK’s economy’ once it was officially up and running… and now, fast forward to today, Number 10 North is officially ‘open for business’.
Operating from Heron House in Manchester city centre, as previously reported on, Number 10 North will be the Government’s new ‘situation room for growth’.
It also brings the ‘levers’ of local economic growth and devolution together under one roof for the first time ever.
Number 10 North has officially ‘opened for business’ / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
With the Prime Minister expected to work from Number 10 North each week, so that decisions about the country’s economic future will no longer exclusively be made in Westminster, and with other ministers also working from there on a regular basis, the Government says the move underlines its determination to ‘do things differently’.
Now that Number 10 North has officially opened, Andy Burnham and his fellow ministers have explained why this move is so important for not just Manchester, but the north as a whole.
“For 40 years, power and resources have been sucked into the centre, and too many communities have felt forgotten, without the attention and investment they deserve,” explained Andy Burnham.
“Number 10 North will change that by putting more power into every postcode across the entire country. It will be the situation room for making Britain better, the place we use to get power out of Westminster, into the hands of people at a local level, so that they can turn things around.
“The days of Whitehall resisting devolution are over, for good.”
First Secretary Louise Haigh added: “Today marks a fundamental re-balancing of where power sits in our country. Number 10 North has been set up to drive economic growth in every postcode and put power in the hands of every community.
Emily Sergeant -
29th March 2022 
