'Chaotic' city centre roadworks set to end

The controversial roadworks on Deansgate in Manchester has led to a "vastly improved" route for cyclists, the city council says

Controversial roadworks in Manchester city centre, which the council said would lead to an improved space for pedestrians and cyclists, are set to finish this week.

Construction of new cycle lanes, pedestrian crossings, and making the thoroughfare on Deansgate one-way only in the southbound direction began in August.

Manchester City Council confirmed the project would be completed on Friday and would help transform travel into and out of the city, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The authority said the works would provide a "vastly improved route for cyclists".

The council said: "We are happy to say that from Friday... the works along Deansgate will be complete."

"Providing a vastly improved route for cyclists from the Chester Road roundabout to the heart of Manchester, as well as more room for pedestrians, this is a step in the right direction for the council as we work to transform the way people travel in and out of the city centre."

Town hall chiefs said the £14m work was necessary to improve the space for pedestrians, cyclists, businesses, and those enjoying a night out.

But drivers previously blasted "ridiculous" congestion in the run-up to Christmas, with traffic prompting Deansgate residents and business owners to also hit out at the project.

The city council said it "sympathised" with those adversely affected by the work in the "short-term"

A video of drivers having a row in December was said by an onlooker to show how "people's tempers are boiling over" due to the traffic "chaos".

Taxi drivers were also irate at the time, with Longsight cabbie Mohin saying it "really affected me".

"As an Uber driver all my trips and my earnings are documented," he said in December. "I've looked at them and this year they are 40% down on last year."

Such was the anger directed at politicians, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who had no role in implementing the roadworks as he does not govern Manchester City Council, said he would hold an "honest review'" into the project in mid-January.

While it's unclear if the review ever took place, the mayor later said in February he "believed more pedestrianisation of the heart of the city centre and more segregated space for cycling so they are not on pavements is the right thing for the city to do".

"We should not be thinking about traffic going right through the heart of the city.

"Other second cities do not allow that," he added.

Throughout the work, the city council recognised it "may be hard to see" the "end point" of the project and "sympathised" with those adversely affected in the "short-term".

"But we would invite people to think about the benefits to come - cleaner air, fewer cars in the city centre, safer streets to walk and cycle on and more space for people to live and work and experience Manchester."