Pedestrian-friendly plans on how to improve the A34 Salford to Cooper Street corridor are set to go out for public consultation.
The stretch of road – which comprises of Bridge Street, John Dalton Street and Princess Street – runs from the beginning of the A34 in Salford to the junction of Cooper Street, adjacent to the Old Town Hall and Cenotaph in the city centre.
This vital link in the city centre’s highway network links key destinations including the Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester Courts and Salford Central Railway Station.
As part of the Council’s long-term ambition for 90% of peak morning trips into the city centre to be made by foot, cycle or public transport before 2040, options are being explored on how progress can be made on that ambition over the coming years.
Some of the suggested plans include:
- Provide more space on pavements for people to walk
- Widen pedestrian crossings
- Improve pedestrian crossing on narrow side streets by raising the carriageway to slow turning vehicles
- Provide new controlled crossings
- Reduce road widths to reduce traffic speeds and encourage drivers to park and stop elsewhere
- Help public transport flow more smoothly
- Improve bus stops by increasing space for people to wait
- Create pleasant spaces for people to spend time in and walk through to key city centre destinations
The Council wants Manchester to be a vibrant and great place to live and work. Somewhere that people choose to make their home or pay a visit, with clean air, safe roads and green, pleasant streets. To achieve this ambition big changes will have to be made if we are to have the city centre we deserve.
This will mean putting in place progressive and green policies to clean up our air, as well as encouraging a shift in how people get around, from polluting vehicles to environmentally friendly ways of travel.
Making it easier for people to walk down the street, removing clutter and improving safety is just one of the ways the Council is exploring as part of this consultation. However, it is vital that the public has their say on the future of the city centre before any final plans are made.
