A planning application has been submitted by the Manchester Life Strategic Development Company on behalf of Manchester City Council for a new urban mobility hub.
The plan is, from the end of 2023, the Mobility Hub will offer sustainable and shared mobility choices and will aim to ensure that the Ancoats area of Manchester grows as a neighbourhood that prioritises streets for people over vehicles.
It is hoped that the hub will encourage a shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles and remove the need for private parking within future developers, enabling designers to focus on creating places for people to relax and enjoy, reports Air Quality News.
The neighbourhood delivery depot will also reduce the number of vehicle movements caused by online ordering. It will receive local deliveries and parcels, which will then be collected by residents or taken to individual developments by small electric vans or cargo bikes.
Other facilities will include a commercial unit which will be prioritised for a community and cycle repair cafe, and 150 secure cycle parking spaces.
The plans directly respond to Manchester City Councils emerging Ancoats Public Realm Strategy, City Centre Transport Strategy, and the 2020 Poland Street Zone Neighbourhood Development Framework.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council said: “The Hub is a UK first. Anyone who thinks this is just another car park is massively missing the point. The purpose of a car park is to park cars. The purpose of the Hub is to help transform the neighbourhood over time, pioneering new ways of getting around and encouraging people to choose greener and healthier transport options. This is about thinking and acting differently.
“We have to recognise that many people who choose to live in the city centre require cars for their daily life and work. But we do want to be very deliberate in making sustainable transport changes easier and more attractive encouraging the use of electric vehicles, cycles and other forms of active travel while supporting the transition away from petrol and diesel.”
