More restrictions on cycling at Mediacity?

TfGM have put up new maps of the diversions around the tram works in Trafford. At first glance they might be seen as useful information, but a closer look reveals that they have included a cyclists dismount restriction on BOTH bridges across the ship canal.



Detailed map - Wider area map


Anti-cycling notices were posted on the swing bridge in August 2016, exactly 5 years after the place opened - probably to do with the time a developer has to wait before they can ask for their section 106 commitments to be removed.



However, no notices have appeared on the lifting bridge... YET!



TfGM and Peel are in the process of creating a bicycle user group - controlled by the two organisations and these maps are perhaps the first evidence that they may be trying to further restrict cycling on the site?

Village Circle Roundabout & Sir Alex Fergusion Way - Trafford

I've been seeing reports from people who cycle through the tram works at Village Circle Roundabout and Sir Alex Fergusion Way in Trafford that the area is now very dangerous for people walking and cycling.



People have reported that the traffic lights have not been working for several weeks and there has been at least one pedestrian has been knocked over and injured and driver behavior is pretty dreadful. The issue is going to be raised at Trafford Cycle Forum and complaints have been sent to TfGM and Trafford council.



I have also seen dreadful behavior by contractors in the area, parking and driving on cycle tracks and pavements is a daily occurrence.

CitySession - Manchester Transport Update - 17th March

Was passed this via email:-

INVITATION: CitySession - Manchester Transport Update Date: Thursday 17 March Time: 8am - 10am Location: The Cobden Rooms, Manchester Central (Guests to arrive via main Central Foyer entrance) View map. Cost: Free

We are pleased to announce the new date for our CitySession: Manchester Transport Update. As you had previously registered to attend this event back in November, we wanted to give you the opportunity to be one of the first guests to register for the new date.  Join CityCo, TfGM, Manchester City Council and Network Rail for a transport update from across the city. This is your chance to hear updates on all aspects of transport across Manchester including the latest on Metrolink’s Second City Crossing from Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing, news of Ordsall Chord from Network Rail Principle Sponsor for the North of England Programme, Patrick Cawley, the latest bus updates from Dave Newton and Nicola Kane, Transport Strategy Director and Manager at TfGM and highways information from Peter Molyneux, Head of Highways at TfGM. This will all follow a special overview from Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council. As well as the latest on these works, Angie Robinson, Chief Executive of Manchester Central, will set the scene for the event with an introduction from Manchester Central, once a major transport hub. The event will begin with refreshments and networking and there will be an opportunity to put your questions to our speakers in a Q&A session.

Our Speakers - Sir Richard Leese – Leader, Manchester City Council - Patrick Cawley - Principal Sponsor for the North of England Programme, Network Rail - Peter Cushing -  Metrolink Director, TfGM - Peter Molyneux – Head of Highways, TfGM - Dave Newton – Transport Strategy Director, TfGM - Nicola Kane – Transport Strategy Manager, TfGM - Introduction from - Angie Robinson -  Chief Executive, Manchester Central

Schedule 8.00am - Registration and refreshments 8.40am - Introduction from Angie Robinson 8:45am - Presentations from our speakers 9.45am - Q&A 10.00am - Close

Please RSVP Please RSVP by clicking here no later than Monday 14 March to reserve your space. When registering for more than one place please remember to enter each guest with a unique email address. Thank you. CityCo events are for members and stakeholders only. If you would like to pass this invitation onto any colleagues outside of your organisation, please email events@cityco.com

Corporation Street CYCLISTS DISMOUNT

It just gets worse in Corporation Street.



Two DISMOUNT signs have turned up in Corporation Street on both sides of the road outside W.H. Smiths.



On both sides pathetic little tarmac ramps have been added, presumably this is to help you push your bike onto the pavement.



On the southbound side the ramp is quite dangerous as it forces anyone who continues cycling alongside the pavement into the tram tracks.






This chap clearly had other ideas about how to proceed...



There are other new signs in the area. To the north of Exchange Square station signs have appeared clearly indicating that cycling is allowed along here.



This probably explains the panic measures on the south side of the station.



The planning of the Second City Crossing has been an absolute disaster for cycling. Metrolink claim they consulted cycling organisations, but there is no sign at all that they have listened.

For more information...

Corporation St, Part 1 - heading north...

Corporation Street Part 2 - heading south...

Corporation Street Part 2 - heading south...

Part 1 Northbound

Heading south there is a lonely ASL at the junction with Hanover Street. No sign of a feeder cycle lane here.



Next you cross the tram tracks, not too much of a problem here as the crossing is more or less at right angles.



Then a cycle lane appears by the Coop Bank. The lane markings are ambivalent, so not sure if it is supposed to be mandatory or not. It then gets somewhat stranger,



rising to pavement level, presumably to avoid the cost of re-positioning these access covers



returning to road level as the buses swing in from Port Street. From here the cycle lane is definitely advisory, so will be blocked by taxis much of the time.



Again we get these pointless green squares



and an ASL crossing the tram tracks.



As the buses swing left there is this floating cycle lane going straight on



and onto a paved section



which terminates in this idiotic manner.



This last piece of crap design has already been posted several times on Twitter by people angry at this design. It deserves to be posted many more times.

Corporation St, Part 1 - heading north...

With the Exchange Square tram stop opening it's time to review the cycle provision along Corporation street to see if they made any improvements after a meeting held this time last year when we told Metrolink and several local councillors what we thought of their (anti-)cycling plans.

This is the view from Market Street - note the "Tram Only" and no entry signs...



This nasty kink in the kerb looks like the end of the cycle lane that was shown on the original plans.



From here you will be expected to cycle in the 1 metre gap between the kerb and rails,



and wait behind trams at the stop.



As you reach the junction there is this dreadful ASL, which is in any case not technically legal...



As you get alongside the Football Museum there is this advisory cycle lane with crap green squares and an ambulance standing by to deal with the consequences of the next section.



At the junction with Todd Street the cycle lane vanishes, but watch out for the buses that swing left into Todd Street,



and then we reach the most dangerous section. Here you are expected to cross tram lines at a very shallow angle with traffic coming up behind you.



The angle is bad on both tracks, so if the first set doesn't get you, the second one will.



Clearly TfGM/Metrolink couldn't care less...

Part 2 Southbound

City Centre Tram Trouble

A meeting was held on 16 December was held at Manchester Town Hall to discuss impact on cycling of the plans for the Metrolink second city crossing. This meeting had taken over 3 months to be held, and this seemed to be deliberate delaying tactics. The initial introduction from Ian Graham of Metrolink made it pretty clear that this meeting should have actually taken place nearly 3 years ago. Indeed the tracks are already being laid so all this is far, far too late.



It seemed as if TfGM and Metrolink had originally planned to ban cycling along the whole 1.6km of the route, but had been told at the last minute that this wasn't a good idea as Manchester is trying to give the appearance of supporting cycling. As a result of this change of heart they have decided allow people to cycle along Cross Street and have made some minor changes and redesigned the Exchange Square platform layout. However, it soon emerged that cycling will be banned in many other ways and the impact of the Second City Crossing will be to make drive even more pedal cycles out of the centre of Manchester.

The headline is that, unlike in Mosely Street, cycling will be allowed within the swept path of the tram. However, the reality is that there is only a one meter gap between the left hand rail and the kerb, so if someone steps of the pavement in front of you, swerving to avoid them will force you into the rail slot and probably result in you ending up on the floor. In other words there won't be space for safe cycling along most of the route, and quite frankly TfGM/Metrolink don't care.

There are the usual comments about all cycle crossing of the tram lines will be at an angle of at least 60 degrees, but in practice this ignores many cycle maneuvers and where cycle crossings have been designed, they involve sharp rightangle bends on bits of pavement, so you will be better off walking.

So, as the meeting was quite chaotic and heated at times, my notes weren't necessarily comprehensive. However, here is a list of the main problems I noted, though there are many more dangers in this scheme:-

• The cycle lane by the Midland Hotel in Lower Mosley Street will be removed and cycling will be BANNED.
• The cycle route across St Peters Square is not being reinstated and cycling has been BANNED.
• Cycling along Mosley Street will continue to be BANNED.
• There will be a separate narrow cycle lane northbound from King Street to Market Street, but not Southbound on Cross Street.
• Market Street will be reversed and become one way westbound only from Cross Street to Deansgate.
• Cycling will be BANNED westbound down King Street onto Cross Street.
• The pavement kerbs will be vertical and up to 175mm high.
• Tram drivers will be instructed to stay behind people cycling in their path - wonder how long that will last.
• Cycles will be forced to wait behind trams at tram stops.
• There will be no right turn out of Shude Hill into Cross Street.
• There will be no right turn out of Cross Street into Shude Hill.

The other piece of bad news is that there is no safety approved gap filler for tram tracks in the UK so it will be many years before any solution is found to that problem. Meantime, because I regularly cycle in the city centre I am very tempted to buy a tricycle...

[I will try and update this post with a few more photos and map later]