The ‘nightmare every day’ in Ancoats where some fear someone could get killed
Life in Manchester city centre is fast-paced and busy – an urban atmosphere that draws people from all over the world to live. But in one area, arguably the flagship for post-industrial regeneration, residents say dangerous driving – including rat racing and cars mounting pavements – is pushing them out of their homes and changing the way they live. Ancoats’ narrow streets are frequently used as a cut-through for vehicles trying to avoid Great Ancoats Street – but with little signage and road markings, the safety of junctions has become an issue for local people – with some fearing there could be a fatal accident if something doesn’t change.
READ MORE: Man rushed to hospital after brutal attack at Parklife festival – police are looking for these men Maggie Doyle, who has lived in Ancoats for three years, told the Manchester Evening News that she sees accidents “frequently” from her flat overlooking Jersey Street. “It’s madness.
You take your life into your hands [walking down the street],” she said. “I appreciate that it takes time to put in measures like speed bumps, but they should be able to put up some stop signs as a matter of urgency. “Are we going to have to wait until something really awful happens?
Can we get in there first and take some preventative action?”
Maggie Doyle said she had witnessed four collisions in five weeks at the Jersey/Murray St junction (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Nathan Hornstein has been a resident on Radium Street for five years, and says the issue is getting “progressively worse”. He told the M.E.N he witnessed a collision at the Jersey/Murray Street intersection just two weeks ago – nobody was hurt, but he fears the worst for the future. Local councillors say they are aware of the issue and work is underway to introduce traffic calming measures in the area.
Cllr Irene Robinson said orders are in place for new signage – but acknowledged that delays are “frustrating” for locals. But for some residents, the changes are coming too late. Cassie Warmbold, 60, grew up in Ancoats, and still lives locally.
She says traffic noise in the area has forced her to spend more time outside her house, moving from working part-time to full-time just to get away from it. “It’s a f***ing nightmare every single day (or night) stepping out of your front door to get to work or do a bit of shopping,” she told the M.E.N.
Cars frequently use the narrow streets as a cut-through to Oldham Road (Image: Manchester Evening News)
“I just had to change my life to be able to still live where I was born and bred – disgraceful really.” Maggie says she knows of couples who have moved away from the city centre because they don’t feel safe raising their children there.
Some residents also fear that traffic calming measures won’t be enough to stop drivers speeding through the area and mounting kerbs, and are calling for more drastic measures to keep residents safe. “I’d love to see old Ancoats pedestrianised,” Henrietta Rowlatt said. “During the pandemic they closed off Blossom Street to traffic, that was a game changer. “I wish Manchester Council had the guts to pedestrianise squares completely – see the new Stevenson Square plans.
Cars are not the future.” Lib Dem councillor for Ancoats and Beswick Alan Good told the M.E.N that he is committed to introducing traffic calming measures in the area – and wants to see a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) in the area in future.
Lib Dem councillor Alan Good (Image: Manchester Evening News)
“There’s no reason they [Manchester City Council] can’t,” he said. “I mean, they can’t knock down buildings now and start again, that’s totally unrealistic. But there’s always more you can do.
“We’re calling on the council to break its pattern of doubling down on bad decisions, like with Great Ancoats Street, and to revisit plans for a low traffic neighbourhood, including increasing levels of pedestrianisation. “A proper solution is needed for loading bays, I’m forever reporting cracked flagstones and trip hazards as a result of delivery drivers parking on pavements so as not to block the road which then damages them. “I’ve been having conversations with council officers as far back as 2020 about the narrow pavements on Redhill Street, bringing pedestrians into conflicts with drivers using it as a rat run.
“It’s not enough for the Council to simply say ‘we’re looking into it’ when they have missed countless opportunities to address through traffic in Ancoats. We need real solutions before somebody is seriously injured and/or killed.” Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: “We’re aware of the issues which are affecting residents around this part of Ancoats.
New signage has been ordered which we hope will mitigate some of the poor driving which residents have witnessed, and the Council is also exploring a wider pedestrianisation of the area.”
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