Most Mancs already know there is a complex network of underground tunnels and unfinished tube shops hidden beneath their feet.
From the most famous – a Guardian telephone exchange that runs from Chinatown to Ardwick – to the Picc-Vic railway tunnel scheme, an unfinished underground railway first designed for Manchester in the early 70s, the idea of building down is hardly a new one.
But now, Manchester’s new leader Councillor Bev Craig is making the case again as she squares up to the Government and HS2 Ltd – calling on them to consider an underground station for Manchester as part of a ‘once in a lifetime project’.
Council bosses are warning that if the currently proposed new overground station at Manchester Piccadilly goes ahead, huge potential to future-proof the city could be squandered.
“The overground plan is the wrong one,” Bev Craig said.
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“It will be cheaper to build in the short term but in the long term it will cost the region’s economy much more in missed opportunities.
She also told The Manc: “We’re saying to government, listen if you’re going to build something in the 2040s that’s going to take Manchester into 2050s, 60s, 70s, we need something that’s going to work for us in the long term.
“There’s still some negotiation to be had on HS2 and it’s my job to make sure that we’re holding to account government if they’re not sticking to their promises.”
An analysis conducted by the council shows the economic benefits to the city and region of the underground option would be £333m a year greater than those delivered by the existing plan, which would see a second overground station to be built next to the existing Manchester Piccadilly.
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Whilst bosses acknowledge the overground option will still bring benefits, they say it will fail to maximise them – and even create some issues of its own, when compared with the preferred underground option.
They argue an overground station would swallow a great amount of vital land, as well as create the need for unwelcome infrastructure, including huge, unsightly concrete viaducts which would overshadow parts of east Manchester.
Future-proofing transport is also a concern, as modelling commissioned by the Council and TfGM (the Bechtel report) has shown that the overground would be at full capacity from day one.
This means that there would be no scope for increased passengers numbers in the year ahead, compromising both its reliability and resilience.
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By comparison, the underground option would address these issues and create a station designed to support growth and better integrate with surrounding areas and other modes of transport.
The full statement from Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We welcome the fact that HS2 is still coming to Manchester. We know that we might be perceived as fortunate relative to other northern town and cities which are also pressing cases for rail improvements.
“But that only makes it all the more important that what we maximise the benefits of what is being delivered, not just for the city but for the North as a whole.
“The overground plan is the wrong one. It will be cheaper to build in the short term but in the long term it will cost the region’s economy much more in missed opportunities.
“It will also cause greater disruption while it is constructed and leave a legacy of unsightly viaducts and other overground infrastructure which limits our ability to create new homes or jobs.
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“Restricting the potential of what will be one of the best-connected places in the country makes no sense at all.
“Nor does creating a station with capacity restraints which will undermine its reliability and resilience from day one.
“We urge the Government and HS2 Ltd to reconsider the compelling case for an underground station.
“This would not only solve the problems posed by the overground option but would create a station empowered to support growth, jobs and other opportunities and help realise the Government’s proclaimed levelling up ambitions.
“If they want the option which delivers the greatest benefits for years to come, they need to look below the surface.”
Government grants local councils power to make pavement parking illegal in their region
Emily Sergeant
New powers are being made available to local leaders across England to introduce pavement parking restrictions in their area.
Blocked pavements can create serious barriers for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users, blind and partially sighted people, and older people, and campaigners say this limits individuals’ independence and makes everyday journeys harder and less safe for them.
So, in a bid to help keep pavements clear and accessible for everyone who uses them, the Government has introduced new local powers.
Following a public consultation – which first took place all the way back in 2020 – the Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed that local leaders will be given ‘new and improved’ legal powers to make it easier to restrict pavement parking across wider areas, rather than relying on the previous approach where action was often limited to individual streets.
The Government has granted local councils the power to make pavement parking illegal in their region / Credit: Samuel Regan-Asante (via Unsplash)
The Government says local leaders ‘know their streets best’ and are therefore best placed to respond to local needs.
Under this new approach, local leaders will be able to decide to take action on pavement parking in their area, while still getting to retain flexibility where they deem pavement parking may still be acceptable.
“Clear pavements are essential for people to move around safely and independently, whether that’s a parent with a pushchair, someone using a wheelchair, or a blind or partially sighted person,” commented Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood.
Blocked pavements can make it harder for parents with pushchairs, wheelchair users and blind or partially sighted people to get around.
That’s why we’re giving local authorities stronger powers to tackle pavement parking and keep pavements accessible. https://t.co/PIqkIw1LF2
“That’s why we’re giving local authorities the power to crack down on problem pavement parking, allowing more people to travel easily and safely and get to where they need to go.”
By putting decision-making closer to communities, the Government says this approach supports safer and more inclusive streets that ‘work better for everyone’.
The DfT will set out guidance to help local authorities use these powers in a ‘proportionate’ and ‘locally appropriate’ way later in 2026.
Featured Image – Sado Lavren (via Unsplash)
News
Ian McKellen to play legendary Salford artist L.S. Lowry in new BBC documentary
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has landed himself an exciting new role, and he’s set to play one of Greater Manchester’s most iconic sons.
One of the most celebrated British actors of all time playing one of the most celebrated British artists of all time? It was meant to be. That’s right, Ian McKellen is set to portray Salford’s very-own L.S. Lowry in the new BBC documentary, L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, produced by award-winning Wall to Wall Mediaand coming soon to BBC Two and iPlayer.
Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, this immersive documentary film will focus on the touching and often surprising exchange between the enigmatic artist and Angela Barratt – a young fan whose interviews capture Lowry in his most intimate and reflective moments.
Recorded in the artist’s own living room, these tapes reveal Lowry’s authentic voice, which Burnley-born actor McKellen will lip-sync on screen.
Across these candid conversations, Lowry traces his journey from childhood right through to his final days, sharing the memories and experiences that shaped him both as an artist, and crucially, as a man.
Alongside this deeply personal account, the documentary is also set to explore the dramatic transformation of Salford and Greater Manchester, which Lowry, of course, depicted so prolifically in his work.
“To give play to Lowry through his own voice has been a unique privilege,” commented Ian McKellen as his casting was announced this week.
“These tapes reveal an intimate insight into the artist’s thoughts – his ambitions, regrets and his humour. Anyone like me, who admires his paintings and drawings, will be intrigued and delighted that the artist is brought back to life through his own words.”
Mark Bell, who is the Commissioning Editor at BBC Arts, added: “Marking 50 years since Lowry’s death, and celebrating Arena’s own 50-year tradition of ambitious, intelligent storytelling, this film comes at a very special moment.
“The inspired casting of Ian McKellen and Annabel Smith feels like life imitating art in the best possible way. But this film isn’t just about the life of the artist, it also provides an insight into the realities of urban life in Greater Manchester in the 20th century.”
L.S. Lowry: The Unheard Tapes is directed by James Kent, following his recent Emmy win for Lost Boys and Fairies, with executive producer Morgana Pugh, and producer Hannah Mirsky.
Further broadcast details will be announced in due course.
Featured Image – BBC / Wall to Wall Media Ltd / Connor Harris
Georgina Pellant -
20th January 2022 
