Transport | Manchester's Roads and Motorways

[link_road_17/7]

I like that old map of Manchester & Salford, names like 'The Intended Street' and 'Market Street Lane'. When was it renamed?

When I read comments like Jets', I always think people like that should move to Milton Keynes.

Where they have a wonderful grid road network, few traffic lights, dual carriageways, NSL speed limits, and, until recently, free parking in the city centre (now just at the extreme edges of CMK).

Until I remember they get traffic congestion too. Just like us!

[jets9]

Originally Posted by heatonparkincakes

Sweet FA Jets, you sound like the mouthpiece for those Association of British Drivers conspiracy theorists!!

You and me and even Longy knows if you doubled the size of every road out of manchester, the road chaos would continue.

More roads always means more cars.

We have the worst of both worlds. Crappy roads and crappy public transport.

A properly worked and extensive public transport system would mean that only those who needed to use their cars would. Of course some lazy fecks will never stop using their cars even if a tram was outside their house, running every minute, but the evidence is that people will change from their motors only if a decent system exists.

A decent public transport system would benefit the car user.

But anyway Jets, I hope you would rather this remained a thread about road development, than a rehash of the Tif arguments. We have enough of all that.

But it's right on message re a manchester road thread. I can just hear you in 1800 sounding off like a grumpy old man............."There's nowt good about widening that cart track, it'll only attract more carts."

[heatonparkincakes]

In 1800 I believe my ancestors wouldnt have understood the speech of the Saxon.

But I am sure that given their professions, they would have greatly welcomed the profits earned from those iron highways.

Get a decent public transport system, get the home to office commuters off the road, then leave the highways to the people who need to be on the roads.

[jets9]

Originally Posted by heatonparkincakes

In 1800 I believe my ancestors wouldnt have understood the speech of the Saxon.

But I am sure that given their professions, they would have greatly welcomed the profits earned from those iron highways.

Get a decent public transport system, get the home to office commuters off the road, then leave the highways to the people who need to be on the roads.

And in a nutshell that's the problem....your non saxon speaking posh ancestors would have, of course, voted/paid themselves the right to freely use said highway in the morning farmers rush hour, leaving the riff raff to get to work on the back of the cart.

Thanks for the historical insight.....very pertinent and valuable.

[heatonparkincakes]

Cheers for the compliment there.

Now Longy you asked about that Eastern Bypass. By jes, one of the many dark sheep of the Heaton family lived on there I remember before he took his Elvis records off to Wales of all places!!

I remember it as this unusual stretch of road, amidst a council estate, with strange red stone concrete, that seems grand, but largely uncompleted.

As I got older I imagined that somewhere there had been some scheme to link Victoria Avenue and that by pass all the way down to Stockport, but I cant really imagine that was the case.

Perhaps you should pm one of the older councillors from the area.

[heatonparkincakes]

From the Road to Nowhere site

Haunted Roads


One minute, you're driving down a dark, twisty country lane. Out in the middle of nowhere, there's no lights, no cars, no nothing. The next minute, a dark, thick mist descends over the roads and suddenly the moon plays tricks with your mind. Shadows are cast amongst the trees, eyes peer out of hedgerows, someone crosses the road up ahead. Or do they?

The creepy feeling makes you shiver with fright and the hairs on your next shoot up to look like needles on a cactus. You wish you weren't alone, you start to believe the motorway would be better option. But is it?

For Halloween 2006, a survey was carried was carried out to identify the UK's most haunted roads. A wide range of roads appeared in the list, which was carried out on behalf of maintenance company Tarmac, which drew up some surprising results.

Tony Simmons, sightings co-ordinator for Tarmac says, "we compiled the top ten on the basis of the clarity of sightings rather than just the number of spooky experiences. At this time of year [Halloween, that is] it's easy to mistake swirling mist for something more sinister and we wanted to make sure we were listing truly spooky sightings."

Here are the 10 spookiest roads, according to the survey:

1. The M6
Rather surprisingly, it is a motorway that comes top of the list. Or perhaps it isn't so shocking after all, given this is the UK's longest motorway.

A number of different sightings have been seen along the length of the road, which include a ghostly woman attempting to hitchhike and a phantom lorry driving along the motorway on the wrong carriageway. Even the M6 Toll section has seen ghostly sightings, in the form of Roman troops marching on the carriageway. Sue Cowley, from Coleshill, Warwickshire, told the survey of seeing about 20 soldiers "more like upright shadows than men walking through the tarmac as you would through water."

"We've had more sightings of clarity reported from the M6 than any other road in Britain. We originally assumed Britain's spookiest road would turn out to be a dark lane near an ancient battlefield. But, when you think about it, it makes sense. The M6 is one of Britain's longest roads and it travels through many counties - and therefore an immense amount of history.
2. The A9, Highlands
A more likely entry, the A9 has seen the same thing observed by drivers on many occasions. Up near Loch Bhuie, a glittering ornate Victorian coach has been spotted being drawn by white horses, being accompanies by bewigged footmen in full period attire.

3. Platt Lane, Westhoughton
A road with a disastrous history, to the ordinary daytime motorist its secrets seem unlikely, but at night the spirits come out to play. This small country lane, between Atherton and Westhoughton in Greater Manchester, passes close to the site of the 1910 Pretoria Pit disaster where 344 miners died. Often seen are eyes peering out of the hedges, miners walking along the road (sometimes with coal wagons) and a very eerie mist that falls on the road, even during clear sunny conditions. And I've seen things down there!

However, this road has apparently long been haunted - even prior to the disaster, miners would report seeing or hearing the sound of running horses passing alongside them.
4. High Street & Suffield Road, Great Yarmouth
On both roads, a phantom dog-like creature with "longer legs" has been seen running at speed along these roads for a short period before suddenly disappearing into thin air. One woman has reported seeing the creature on more than one occasion.

5. Gloucester Road, Finsbury Park
A well known local phenomenon, residents have reported the sound of children running and laughing, albeit late into the night. There have also been occasions of doors being knocked upon, yet when they have been opened there has been no-one there.

6. B4293, Devauden
This wooded, twisty road in Wales appears to have its own guardian angel. A lady was driving home late one night when she heard a soft voice advising her to stop. Shocked by this, she pulled over onto the grass verge. Practically immediately, a speeding car came towards her on the wrong side of the road, and devoid of headlights. Had she not stopped, she would have been involved in a serious accident. A search of the area came up with no sign of her "guardian angel."

7. B3314, Cornwall
A Victorian-looking lady has been seen to walk into the middle of the road, then suddenly stop. When drivers have pulled over to take a look, thinking they have knocked something over, they have seen this lady simply stare at them, then suddenly dissappear.

8. The A9, Highlands
The only road to appear twice in the top ten, this time at Dornoch. A Victorian man has been sighted riding a white horse along the road, suddenly appearing further down the road very quickly.

9. B1403, Doncaster
A soldier has been seen marching along this road, in full military uniform and helmet.

10. Drews Lane, Birmingham
Cars have been heard along this road in the Ward End area of Birmingham, which have apparently screeched along at speed then toppled over.

[Cherguevara]

Originally Posted by heatonparkincakes

5. Gloucester Road, Finsbury Park
A well known local phenomenon, residents have reported the sound of children running and laughing, albeit late into the night. There have also been occasions of doors being knocked upon, yet when they have been opened there has been no-one there.

Call me a skeptic but I don't think that's ghosts.

[The Longford]

Originally Posted by Cherguevara

Call me a skeptic but I don't think that's ghosts.

We have a similar phenomenon round our way where small hooded figures can be seen breaking into cars and houses , late into the night, and yet by the time the police arrive they have completely disappeared.
Spooky eh?

[Chogmook]

If they're causing damage, it sounds like it could be a Poltergeist problem...

[Beram]

Crain's announced yesterday that NW councils are getting an additional £13m for roads yesterday. This is in addition to the £285m already allocated, which has been ringfenced for highway maintenance. The additional money is due to be spent on resurfacing minor roads, bridge works and street lighting.

Sorry can't give you a link, it came up on my RSS.

[link_road_17/7]

Some fantastic news which the MEN/BBC/Granada/others don't appear to have reported (unless I've missed it, as I just got back from abroad?).....

Longdendale Bypass (aka A57/A628 Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwistle Bypass) has been rejected for RFA funding.

http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/me...ram-tintwistle

Perhaps common sense, logical, and morality will now ensue, and like their West Midlands DA colleagues, will approve rail schemes.

The cost of the public inquiries/consultations held for this road scheme over the past few decades could have reopened the Woodhead Route, or improved the current stub to at least metro frequencies.

[man med]

Originally Posted by link_road_17/7

Some fantastic news which the MEN/BBC/Granada/others don't appear to have reported (unless I've missed it, as I just got back from abroad?).....

Longdendale Bypass (aka A57/A628 Mottram, Hollingworth and Tintwistle Bypass) has been rejected for RFA funding.

http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/me...ram-tintwistle

Perhaps common sense, logical, and morality will now ensue, and like their West Midlands DA colleagues, will approve rail schemes.

The cost of the public inquiries/consultations held for this road scheme over the past few decades could have reopened the Woodhead Route, or improved the current stub to at least metro frequencies.

fantastic news - take it youve never been sat in the traffic @ mottram

[heatonparkincakes]

I blame Roy

[The Longford]

The traffic in Mottram is awful i agree and i have sat at the end of the M57 for literally hours just to move 1km - but a bypass isnt the answer.
The worse the traffic gets the more likely (hopefully) people will look for alternatives.
New roads just encourage more traffic - something the Woodhead and Mottram dont need.

[CDX]

From cnplus.co.uk:

Bidders face frustration as £200m Manchester road job is delayed
http://www.cnplus.co.uk/sectors/tran...203530.article
18 June, 2009 | By Nick Whitten

The procurement process for a £200m bypass near Manchester has been delayed after it emerged the project may have to go back out to public consultation.

Eight construction firms are understood to be in the running to build the A556 bypass between Junction 19 of the M6 and Junction 7 of the M56.

The firms have filled out pre-qualification questionnaires and had hoped to have received their tender documents by now.

But the project, to build 5 km of new dual carriageway and widen 5 km of existing road, has hit an obstacle. The Highways Agency needs to include an extra 600 m of road, encompassing the M6 roundabout, which was not initially included in the approved scheme.

The original plan won 83 per cent backing from the public at a consultation six months ago, as well as getting the seal of approval from the transport secretary.

Officials had expected the roundabout to be improved as part of a £2.9 billion project to widen the M6 along a 51-mile stretch between Birmingham and Manchester. However, it has now been switched to the bypass scheme.

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said: “Without this delay we would have been going out to tender by now.

“But you have to do things the right way. This latest bit of the road was not consulted on and we will talk to the public about it in due course.

“As a matter of urgency we are in the process of drawing up a shortlist and hope to invite tenders later this summer.”

Firms understood to have put their names forward are Balfour Beatty, Skanska, Carillion, Ferrovial, Bam Nuttall, Costain, Laing O’Rourke and Vinci Construction Grands Projets.

The Highways Agency anticipates the job will cost between £142m and £207m, and take just over six years to complete.

The A556 is a major trunk road between North Cheshire and South Manchester, currently carrying around 50,000 vehicles a day, nearly a fifth of which are HGVs..

The section of the A556 under consideration is between the M6 junction 19 near Tabley/Knutsford and the M56 junction 7 near Bowdon.

The project is expected to be relatively complex given its proximity to two major motorways and Manchester city centre.

Overbridges, underbridges and culverts also feature in the scheme.

[kids]

8.3 There is no intention of closing Miller Street although the narrowing of Miller Street from 4 to 2 lanes of traffic and rerouting of the inner relief route is key to the delivery of the new Co-op headquarters, which is a catalyst and first building block of the wider framework. The reduction in width of Miller Street will diminish the physical barrier between the parts of the framework north of Miller Street and the city centre, thereby increasing connectivity with the existing retail and commercial core. The narrowing of Miller Street is key to securing both commercial viability and good urban design of the overall framework. The impact on traffic flow and congestion will need to be considered as part of the planning process.

CDX pasted this from a council report on the Co-op scheme at Miller Street and I think it's definitely worth more discussion. The benefits here are obvious, the city centre will stretch its arms to re-connect with the street network to the North, amongst other things making the regeneration of this part of North Manchester more sustainable. The question is, will this process be repeated at other points along the ring road and on other roads in Central Manchester? Maybe eventually, as Architecty suggested, through-traffic might be abolished from the city centre?

This idea excites me, infact I got a bit giddy and did this (after a trip to Amsterdam):

[link_road_17/7]

I like it (a lot!). However, you'd have to get some Amsterdam-style 'Transferium' built further down, perhaps at Southern Cemetery, otherwise the Princess Road/Greenheys Lane junction would become a bottleneck. You'd probably end up having to build the missing sections of the (original) Inner Ring Road, otherwise Hulme and Cambridge St would get saturated with traffic.

Here is what was planned back in 1962:

[kids]

"the city centre road" haha... Imagine what Castlefield would be like if that had happened.

A redeeming feature of that plan actually is the positioning of the inner ring road. Seems like a healthier place to be. I wonder if that's still a possibility. Then you could have the transferium at central Hulme!

[heatonparkincakes]

I got all excited about this transferium until i translated and then wikipedoa'd it,

So its park and ride. Didnt they try that here at the start of the decade and it had mixed results.

I remember they used Heaton Park and if I recall it just didnt attract the passengers.

However at every tram station's car park along the Bury line is "choca" at rush hour.

So the solution is clearly expand car parking at existing tram stations, stick any mega transferium next to a rail or tram station.

[Sal73x]

I'm a bit confused...
1.on the first post we are talking of reducing Miller St from 4 to 2 lanes
and the image is of the Princess Park Way?

2. What's the point of reducing Miller St when:
a) across the road there is nothing to reconnect to the city centre
b) where would they send the traffic since there isn't any other way to get across (Cheetham rd-Swan st)
unless you drive all the way to the A6010 / Queens road.
c) if they are thinking of building an alternative route,
would it not be alot smarter build the new road first and then reduce Miller st?

My only guess is that I'm missing the rest of the plan
because reducing Miller St to 2 lanes with the situation that we have today
would only be suicidal and increase the traffic for the area...as it has already been done with many other areas