The public is being asked for their thoughts on plans to widen the pavements and reduce road widths on a handful of major streets in Manchester city centre.
It’s part of new pedestrian-friendly plans to improve the A34 Salford to Cooper Street corridor.
The stretch of road is one that runs straight through Manchester, and starts from the beginning of the A34 in Salford, right to the junction of Cooper Street – which is adjacent to the Old Town Hall and Cenotaph in the city centre.
Bridge Street, John Dalton Street, and Princess Street and just some of the major roads which form part of the major thoroughfare.
Manchester City Council has described it as a “vital link” in the city centre’s highway network, as it includes several key destinations along the route – including the Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester Courts, and Salford Central railway station.
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This is why Councillors are keen to improve the stretch and make it safer for pedestrians.
The Council wants to widen pavements and reduce road width on these major Manchester city centre streets / Credit: Google Maps
As part of the Council’s long-term ambition for 90% of peak morning trips into the city centre to be made either by foot, cycle, or public transport before 2040 arrives, a wide range of options are now being explored on how progress can be made on that ambition over the coming years.
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Some of these suggested plans include providing more space on pavements for people to walk, widening of pedestrian crossings, new controlled crossings, improving bus stops by increasing space for people to wait, and overall helping public transport to flow more smoothly through the city centre.
Another one of the major potential plans put forward by the Council would be to reduce road widths and traffic speeds in a bid to encourage drivers to park and stop elsewhere.
Overall, the Council says it wants to create more “pleasant spaces” for people to spend time in and walk through to key city centre destinations.
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It’s part of new pedestrian-friendly plans to improve the A34 Salford to Cooper Street corridor / Credit: Google Maps
“We have lofty ambitions on how we can make the city a vibrant and attractive place to work, visit, and live,” explained Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council, as the plans have gone out for consultation this week.
“As part of that, we have to be bold in making changes which will help us improve air quality, as well as improve the experience of people who travel through the city centre. We are in the early stages of a developing a plan for the A34, so I would encourage everyone to look through our plans and make their opinions known to us.”
“Manchester city centre is for everyone which is why we want to hear from as many people as possible.”
The public consultation on the A34 Salford to Cooper Street corridor is now live and open for people to have their say, both in person and online – with local residents, in particular, urged to share their thoughts on the proposed chances.
Find out more on the Manchester City Council website here.
Featured Image – Google Maps
News
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd February 2024 
