Great Ancoats 2020
Let's seize this opportunity to get it right.
We have a brief window of opportunity before the Council spends millions on a badly flawed re-design of Great Ancoats Street that is bad for walking, dangerous for cycling, and inefficient for driving.
On Wednesday 17th July the Council's Environment Scrutiny Committee agreed - they recommended the plans need to go back for public consultation.
- The Council put forward plans for Great Ancoats Street that are flawed and represent a huge missed opportunity that will lock-in toxic air and congestion for a generation
- A viable, superior alternative is achievable: the Great Ancoats Boulevard Concept
- We urged Manchester City Council stop moving forward and reconsider their plans
On Wednesday 17th July the Council's Environment Scrutiny Committee agreed - they recommended the plans need to go back for public consultation.
Update 25/7/19
By @ClimateEmergMcr
Exclusive: Great Ancoats St – #MANCHESTER COUNCIL EXEC IGNORES RESIDENTS & COUNCILLORS
Manchester City Council is NOT intending to undertake any additional consultation on the controversial Great Ancoats St road-changes, which would see existing cycle lanes axed. Despite the best efforts of many many citizens, and the unanimous agreement of the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee last week that the consultation was inadequate, the Council intends to plough on. Last week the NESC said the matter would be referred to ‘the Executive’. Well, in this case it turns out to that that means one officer and one councillor.
More reaction to this soon, but for now, the full text of the email sent by the relevant Executive Member for the Environment, Angeliki Stogia (Labour, Whalley Range), to a resident.
From: Cllr Angeliki Stogia <cllr.a.stogia@manchester.gov.uk>
Date: 25 July 2019 at 13:42:03 BST
To: xxx
Subject: FW: Please support a new public consultation on the Great Ancoats (Case Ref: MA244)Dear xxx,
Following the recommendations of the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee on the Great Ancoats Street scheme.
The scheme has been designed to deliver enhanced crossings for people travelling on foot or by bike, to allow them to cross this major road more safely and travel more easily between the city centre and the flourishing Ancoats area. The aim of the scheme is to improve the physical environment of Great Ancoats Street, one of the main arterial routes around the city and part of the Manchester Inner Relief route whose purpose is to keep traffic moving around the city rather than encouraging motorised traffic in the city centre. This extremely busy road is often perceived as a harsh barrier between the city centre and the Ancoats neighbourhood. When the work is finished there will be a safer, more accessible link between the city centre and the Ancoats neighbourhood and the physical environment of the road will be improved.
Consultation for this scheme included both local residents and businesses as well as with our stakeholders:
The technical advice from professionally qualified engineers is that it is not possible to include safe cycle routes along with the other pedestrian and environmental improvements. These pedestrian benefits include new and improved crossings, some of which are shared with cyclists, plus tree planting and de-cluttering of footways. As well as delivering a significantly enhanced experience for pedestrians, this scheme maintains capacity for traffic on Great Ancoats Street and will avoid congestion at either end of the scheme and smaller, unsuitable surrounding roads being used as ‘rat-runs’ by cars, which would lead to reduced air quality and more risk of collisions across Ancoats and the Northern Quarter.
Working with the GM Mayor’s Challenge fund, I am planning to bring forward plans for a Piccadilly-Victoria cycle and walking route. This will run parallel to Great Ancoats Street to the south and will improve travel by foot or bike in the area. This £11.6m scheme will provide the safe cycle routes at the heart of the Northern Quarter. Consultation for this cycleway and more details about the plans will be available by the end of the year.
Plans will also be brought forward for the Northern & Eastern Gateway which will run parallel to the Great Ancoats Street to the North, to improve travel by foot or bike in the area. This £4.1m scheme will connect the neighbourhoods of Ancoats, New Islington, New Cross, New Town, Redbank and the Green Quarter by creating a high-quality, continuous east-west walking and cycling route.
Over the summer there will continue to be communications and engagement in the area for residents and businesses to make sure they have the latest information about the Great Ancoats scheme.
A further consultation, when we do not have the option to change the scheme would undermine future consultations. Therefore, we will not be taking the recommendation forward.
Kind Regards.
Councillor Angeliki Stogia
Executive Member for Environment, Planning & Transport
and Labour and Co-operative Councillor for Whalley Range
Executive Members’ Office, Manchester City Council, Level 4, Town Hall Extension, Manchester, M60 2LA (Sat Nav Postcode M2 5DB)
Phone: 0161 234 3310 (Internal 801 33310) Mobile: 07901 528 750 Fax: 0161 274 7001
Email: cllr.a.stogia@manchester.gov.uk
Exclusive: Great Ancoats St – #MANCHESTER COUNCIL EXEC IGNORES RESIDENTS & COUNCILLORS
Manchester City Council is NOT intending to undertake any additional consultation on the controversial Great Ancoats St road-changes, which would see existing cycle lanes axed. Despite the best efforts of many many citizens, and the unanimous agreement of the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee last week that the consultation was inadequate, the Council intends to plough on. Last week the NESC said the matter would be referred to ‘the Executive’. Well, in this case it turns out to that that means one officer and one councillor.
More reaction to this soon, but for now, the full text of the email sent by the relevant Executive Member for the Environment, Angeliki Stogia (Labour, Whalley Range), to a resident.
From: Cllr Angeliki Stogia <cllr.a.stogia@manchester.gov.uk>
Date: 25 July 2019 at 13:42:03 BST
To: xxx
Subject: FW: Please support a new public consultation on the Great Ancoats (Case Ref: MA244)Dear xxx,
Following the recommendations of the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee on the Great Ancoats Street scheme.
The scheme has been designed to deliver enhanced crossings for people travelling on foot or by bike, to allow them to cross this major road more safely and travel more easily between the city centre and the flourishing Ancoats area. The aim of the scheme is to improve the physical environment of Great Ancoats Street, one of the main arterial routes around the city and part of the Manchester Inner Relief route whose purpose is to keep traffic moving around the city rather than encouraging motorised traffic in the city centre. This extremely busy road is often perceived as a harsh barrier between the city centre and the Ancoats neighbourhood. When the work is finished there will be a safer, more accessible link between the city centre and the Ancoats neighbourhood and the physical environment of the road will be improved.
Consultation for this scheme included both local residents and businesses as well as with our stakeholders:
- TfGM
- Ward Members
- Cycle Reference Group
The technical advice from professionally qualified engineers is that it is not possible to include safe cycle routes along with the other pedestrian and environmental improvements. These pedestrian benefits include new and improved crossings, some of which are shared with cyclists, plus tree planting and de-cluttering of footways. As well as delivering a significantly enhanced experience for pedestrians, this scheme maintains capacity for traffic on Great Ancoats Street and will avoid congestion at either end of the scheme and smaller, unsuitable surrounding roads being used as ‘rat-runs’ by cars, which would lead to reduced air quality and more risk of collisions across Ancoats and the Northern Quarter.
Working with the GM Mayor’s Challenge fund, I am planning to bring forward plans for a Piccadilly-Victoria cycle and walking route. This will run parallel to Great Ancoats Street to the south and will improve travel by foot or bike in the area. This £11.6m scheme will provide the safe cycle routes at the heart of the Northern Quarter. Consultation for this cycleway and more details about the plans will be available by the end of the year.
Plans will also be brought forward for the Northern & Eastern Gateway which will run parallel to the Great Ancoats Street to the North, to improve travel by foot or bike in the area. This £4.1m scheme will connect the neighbourhoods of Ancoats, New Islington, New Cross, New Town, Redbank and the Green Quarter by creating a high-quality, continuous east-west walking and cycling route.
Over the summer there will continue to be communications and engagement in the area for residents and businesses to make sure they have the latest information about the Great Ancoats scheme.
A further consultation, when we do not have the option to change the scheme would undermine future consultations. Therefore, we will not be taking the recommendation forward.
Kind Regards.
Councillor Angeliki Stogia
Executive Member for Environment, Planning & Transport
and Labour and Co-operative Councillor for Whalley Range
Executive Members’ Office, Manchester City Council, Level 4, Town Hall Extension, Manchester, M60 2LA (Sat Nav Postcode M2 5DB)
Phone: 0161 234 3310 (Internal 801 33310) Mobile: 07901 528 750 Fax: 0161 274 7001
Email: cllr.a.stogia@manchester.gov.uk
Manchester City Council has declared a Climate Emergency.
With Great Ancoats the Executive have failed a key test and demonstrated their unwillingness to change anything about their approach, even in the face of massive public opposition and the unanimous recommendation of NESC Councillors that the scheme had not been properly consulted on and should go out for further public consultation.
This represents a bitter disappointment for all who hoped declaring a Climate Emergency would mean any change to the status quo, and devastating breech of trust for all who believed that the Council's adoption of 'Made to Move' in 2017 heralded a genuine commitment to active travel.
This is not the end.
With Great Ancoats the Executive have failed a key test and demonstrated their unwillingness to change anything about their approach, even in the face of massive public opposition and the unanimous recommendation of NESC Councillors that the scheme had not been properly consulted on and should go out for further public consultation.
This represents a bitter disappointment for all who hoped declaring a Climate Emergency would mean any change to the status quo, and devastating breech of trust for all who believed that the Council's adoption of 'Made to Move' in 2017 heralded a genuine commitment to active travel.
This is not the end.
Update 24/7/19
The Executive met on Wednesday 24th July - Great Ancoats was not on the agenda and was not mentioned or referenced.
Update 17/7/19
Today the Neighbourhoods and Environment Scrutiny Committee reviewed the Council's Great Ancoats plans and recommended it goes back for new public consultation.
Watch the video recording of the meeting here
Watch the video recording of the meeting here
Update 16/7/19
It has emerged that when the Great Ancoats scheme was being planned in 2016 Manchester City Council was given a number of alternative options - including segregated cycle lanes.
These options kept the same number of motor vehicle lanes.
The Council chose the option that completely removed cycle infrastructure from Great Ancoats.
The 2016 plans were released by TfGM following an FOI request.
Plans below for comparisons:
TOP IMAGES - Council chosen design
MIDDLE IMAGES - 2016 design incorporating segregated cycle lanes rejected by Council
BOTTOM IMAGES - Superior alternative BOULEVARD CONCEPT
(Colourisation by @_Jimc)
These options kept the same number of motor vehicle lanes.
The Council chose the option that completely removed cycle infrastructure from Great Ancoats.
The 2016 plans were released by TfGM following an FOI request.
Plans below for comparisons:
TOP IMAGES - Council chosen design
MIDDLE IMAGES - 2016 design incorporating segregated cycle lanes rejected by Council
BOTTOM IMAGES - Superior alternative BOULEVARD CONCEPT
(Colourisation by @_Jimc)
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Let us know your opinions:
Update 15/7/19
Meeting with Manchester City Council regarding Great Ancoats Street – 15 July 2019, 2pm
Download meeting notes here
Download meeting notes here
What is this all about?
Manchester City Council plan to spend £9.1 million pounds of taxpayers' money re-designing Great Ancoats Street.
Their proposal adds some trees, slightly prettier pedestrian crossings, and retains an outdated and inefficient road layout with five lanes of motor traffic, while getting rid of all cycling infrastructure.
The scheme doesn't address the toxic and illegal air on Great Ancoats street, and locks in polluting car domination for a generation.
Their proposal adds some trees, slightly prettier pedestrian crossings, and retains an outdated and inefficient road layout with five lanes of motor traffic, while getting rid of all cycling infrastructure.
The scheme doesn't address the toxic and illegal air on Great Ancoats street, and locks in polluting car domination for a generation.
What do people think about the Council's plans?
Almost nobody was aware of the plans until the Council announced preparatory roadworks were about to start. The Council had held brief public consultation in 2018 that gave misleading and inaccurate information - the consultation was not well publicised and almost nobody knew about it.
As soon as the plans were announced in May, a huge public backlash began. Hundreds of residents signed the petition calling for the scheme to be revised, and big public protests were held that were covered by ITV news, the BBC news, and the Manchester Evening News.
As soon as the plans were announced in May, a huge public backlash began. Hundreds of residents signed the petition calling for the scheme to be revised, and big public protests were held that were covered by ITV news, the BBC news, and the Manchester Evening News.
Is there time to improve the plans?
Major work is not scheduled to start until January 2020 and volunteers have worked around the clock to bring forward detailed viable alternative plans that:
- Include fully segregated cycle tracks to unlock significant potential for modal shift to non-car travel, significantly increasing Great Ancoats' people-moving capacity
- Reconnect Ancoats and the Northern Quarter with a walking and cycling corridor spurring investment and growth
- Fixes pedestrian and cyclist safety problems with the Council plans
- Maintains current motor traffic volume (Council stipulation) with improved vehicle flow
- Helps air quality by reducing vehicle stopping, starting, and idling
- Addresses objections of people living and working around Great Ancoats
So Manchester City Council will be revisiting their plans?
After the public outcry, Cllr Kilpatrick requested the plans be reviewed as urgent business on the Environment and Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 17th July.
The Committee heavily criticised the scheme - in particular the failure to consult and engage - they recommended the scheme go back for public consultation.
Now the Executive decides whether to accept the recommendation or plough on regardless.
We feel it is crucial we hit the 'pause' button and allow time to fully explore the superior alternative: Boulevard Concept proposal. We need to make sure we get Great Ancoats right first time.
The Committee heavily criticised the scheme - in particular the failure to consult and engage - they recommended the scheme go back for public consultation.
Now the Executive decides whether to accept the recommendation or plough on regardless.
We feel it is crucial we hit the 'pause' button and allow time to fully explore the superior alternative: Boulevard Concept proposal. We need to make sure we get Great Ancoats right first time.
What needs to happen?
There is brief window of opportunity for Manchester City Council to revisit the plans and make them fit for purpose before major work begins in January 2020 and millions of pounds of taxpayers' money are wasted.
That is why we call on the Council to:
That is why we call on the Council to:
1) Stop preparatory work on their flawed Great Ancoats scheme immediately and,
2) Revisit their plans - giving full consideration to the Great Ancoats Boulevard Concept proposal and,
3) Commit to constructively engage with the public in bringing forward an improved scheme
2) Revisit their plans - giving full consideration to the Great Ancoats Boulevard Concept proposal and,
3) Commit to constructively engage with the public in bringing forward an improved scheme
Why else should the Council revisit their plans?
The flawed plans for Great Ancoats Street directly contradict Manchester City Council's commitments and targets on:
- Council's Declaration of Climate Emergency made on 10th July 2019. They said: "We have declared a ‘climate emergency’ which means every decision made by the Council will be taken to ensure we can be a zero-carbon by 2038. We are committed to doing what we can to tackle climate change."
- Active Travel - outlined in Made to Move,
- Legal obligations in relation to toxic air pollution - outlined in Clean Air GM,
- Commitment to de-carbonise Greater Manchester - Carbon Neutral 2038,
- TfGM's strategy for 50% of all journeys to be walking, cycling, or public transport by 2040, and specifically to promote walking and cycling for shorter journeys - Transport Strategy Greater Manchester 2040.
Is Great Ancoats a credibility issue for the Council and Labour?
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After voting to declare a Climate Emergency, Manchester City Council needs to demonstrate that business-as-usual is no longer acceptable.
Our new statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in St. Peter's square is inscribed "Deeds not Words". What the Council do next about Great Ancoats Street shows us if their words will be translated into deeds... or they are just hot air. Ultimately this is a test for Manchester's Labour Party - they need to decide whether they are they part of the solution... or part of the problem. |
Central Manchester - areas breaching air quality limits. Source: mappinggm.org.uk
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