A section of Deansgate which has been closed to traffic since May will have to be temporarily re-opened one way to buses.
The section between Blackfriars Street and King Street was closed to vehicles in the spring using temporary traffic regulation orders under national Covid-19 legislation to make more space and enable people using the city centre to socially distance without the danger of stepping into traffic. The move was largely very well received.
During the closure period, the environmental benefits of closing this section to traffic through improved air quality and the encouragement of walking and cycling have also been evident.
However, in the face of a legal challenge from a bus operator concerning the basis on which the order was made, we decided we had little option but to re-open the section between Blackfriars Street and King Street, one way in a southbound direction, to buses.
The Council will now accelerate the process towards this section’s permanent closure to try to ensure the benefits are captured for good. The aspiration is that this re-opening will be for as short a period as possible.
Urgent short term measures will be put in place to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety while bus traffic returns.
Councillor Angeliki Stogia, Executive Member for Planning, Transport and Environment, said: “It is extremely frustrating that a bus operator has chosen to go down this route. We should be discussing bus routes in partnership with operators rather than being threatened with legal action by them and it’s another illustration of why we need to bring bus routes back under public control.
“We believe that closing this section of Deansgate to traffic has been a success and it is something we will endeavour to make permanent as soon as we can, seeking to ensure this re-opening is brief and has minimal impact.”
An order for the new temporary Deansgate traffic regulations will be advertised formally in the next few days.