THE M.E.N. launches a massive online survey today to help drivers beat gridlock on Greater Manchester roads.
We want readers to tell us about long-running roadworks, problem traffic lights and constant bottlenecks, as well as inappropriate road safety schemes and bus lanes.
Then all the information will be used for an interactive map on the M.E.N. website showing problem areas.
Click
here
for the survey.
We will also send a dossier to the relevant authorities so that action can be taken.
The launch of the survey comes as businesses in the city centre revealed how they have lost money over the last month because of traffic jams and parking chaos.
A two-year plan to replace ageing water mains in the city centre has led restaurants and theatres to despair in the run-up to Christmas, as people arrive late - or simply give up.
Andrew Howard, of the AA, said of our plan: "Fundamentally, the M.E.N. survey makes for better knowledge.
"There should be more use of technology to make information available - and it's the sort of information drivers love."
Jammed roads have been causing misery to commuters and shoppers as well as causing havoc for businesses.
Akbar's Indian restaurant has reported losses of 10 to 20 per cent at its Liverpool Road branch due to jams in the last month.
Customers who have spent up to an hour longer on the road have then struggled to park, with some turning away. And the Library Theatre Company, on St Peter's Square, said school parties had been stuck in traffic, so some performances were delayed up to 20 minutes, with actors waiting in the wings for them to arrive.
It is also feared that traffic problems could get worse unless urgent action is taken.
Congestion charging has been suggested, but plans suffered a major blow this month when Bury withdrew support - now only seven of Greater Manchester's 10 local authorities are in favour of a pay-to-drive scheme in return for £3bn of public transport improvements.
Click here to take part in the survey.
What do you think of city centre traffic? Have your say.
Tweet
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
Mike, Manchester (21/12/2007 at 09:08)
Mike, Manchester (21/12/2007 at 09:09)
This is a great idea by the way.
Rob (Manchester Against Road Tolls) www.tamesidemart.co.uk www.manchestertolltax.com, Denton (21/12/2007 at 09:10)
polkyb (21/12/2007 at 09:35)
Go find one of the following:
Bus lane.
Pedestrian island near bus stop.
Empty right turn lanes big enough for two cars side by side.
Busy right turn lanes with only room for one car.
Anywhere two lanes become one.
The run up to a speed camera.
Anywhere that the council have tinkered with the traffic light timings recently.
Munkey Boy, Audenshaw, Manchester (21/12/2007 at 09:58)
polkyb (21/12/2007 at 10:03)
Are you telling me that you don't know of a junction or traffic calming measure which, in your opinion, could have been done better?
I realise that road planners usually aren't local to the area's that they plan for, so maybe the planners should spend more time canvassing local ideas before they start their projects.
gazz (21/12/2007 at 10:04)
Donkey-Stoner (21/12/2007 at 10:11)
It could be that sitting in council planners induced trafic delays that people have studied the problems - unlike the councils who just go blindly "improving" the highways and byways with little consequence of the delays to once free flowing traffic .
Anyone read that the traffic in central London is now slower than before the congestion charge was introduced? (The Times 20th Dec)
Snare Drum (Manchester Against Road Tolls), Ashton-under-Lyne (21/12/2007 at 10:13)
Timberman, MANCHESTER (21/12/2007 at 10:18)
How may I ask are 'ageing water mains' supposed to be replaced without causing traffic problems, I'm sure if the contractors knew of way they would use it. C-charge or no C-charge essential roadworks have to be done.
Snare Drum (Manchester Against Road Tolls), Ashton-under-Lyne (21/12/2007 at 10:18)
* Market Street/ Union Street – Hyde – Highway improvements.
* Manchester Road North – Denton – Construction of Bus Lane, until end of January 2008.
* Audenshaw Road – Audenshaw – Construction of bus lane, until March 2008.
* Newton Street – Hyde – Junction with Dukinfield Road, improvement works, until February 2008.
* Delamere Street & Fleet Street – Ashton – Temporary road closure. From 15/08/07 for 7 months. Diversions in place.
* Spring Bank Lane – Stalybridge – Temporary traffic lights. From 01/09/07 for 4 months.
* Ladbrooke Road/ Smallshaw Lane – Ashton – Junction alteration works. One-way order and traffic calming measures, until February 2008.
* Two Trees Lane – Denton – Temporary traffic lights. From 26/11/07 to 21/12/07.
* Mossley Road – Ashton – From Stamford High School to Old Road, footway refurbishment.
* Audenshaw Road – Audenshaw – From Kershaw Lane to Rail Bridge, footway refurbishment.
* Mellor Road – Ashton – Temporary road closure due to building works at Tameside Hospital. From 03/12/07 for 18 months. Diversions in place.
* Parvet Avenue/ Chestnut Avenue/ Mount Terrace – Droylsden – Temporary road closure due to major sewer improvements. From 26/11/07 for 18 weeks. Diversions in place.
* Mossley Road – From Stamford High School to Rose Hill Road, footway refurbishment.
* Two Trees Lane/ Haughton Green Road – Denton – Temporary traffic lights due to gas replacement works. From 17/12/07 to 21/12/07.
* John Street West – Ashton – Temporary road closure due to building structural works. From 07/12/07 to 28/12/07. Diversions in place.
* Dukinfield Road – Hyde – Temporary traffic lights due to sewer connection works. From 04/12/07 for 17 days.
* Ashton Road – Denton – Temporary traffic lights due to sewer repair works. From 11/12/07 for 14 days.
Darren H - A-U-L, Ashton U Lyne (21/12/2007 at 11:29)
mylifeinthemafia (21/12/2007 at 11:34)
Paul Mason (21/12/2007 at 12:22)
Paul Mason
East Riding Mancunian, Radcliffe (21/12/2007 at 12:53)
gillykins, urmston (21/12/2007 at 13:25)
RS (21/12/2007 at 14:07)
By all means let the local authority know about these issues, but I would imagine that they already know.
Munkey Boy, Audenshaw, Manchester (21/12/2007 at 15:41)
What I would dispute is how much you can do about a problem. Bottlenecks are known about by transport planners, the solution is hard to come by more often than not though because of expense or practicality. It's not alway possible to just create more space, and often solving one problem just moves it to the next junction along.
As RS quite correctly says too is often safety is overlooked - schemes that have been put in place are there for a reason, and it's not some crack-pot conspiracy to cause congestion like the MART scare-mongers would have you believe. There has been no operation to re-time traffic lights to cause congestion - quite the opposite in fact, except where safety issues are concerned.
I'd love to know how these problems would be solved that the existing professionals haven't already thought of.
Kurt Stevens, Sale (21/12/2007 at 16:23)
"Give us all your money otherwise the city will grind to a halt!"
Yeah right!
Bigmouth strikes again, Manchester (21/12/2007 at 16:55)
A.C.Thompson (21/12/2007 at 17:21)
A lot of the problem is people are tunnel visioned and follow like sheep,if you got to know ways in and out instead of following the leader,that would go a long way to helping the traffic to keep on moving.
At this time in our city by and far the main thing thats stopping the traffic flow is all the roads which are closed due to all the building work going on,dont let this council fool any of you,once everything is open and running again,that will be a BIG plus for traffic movement and then what this garbage council come up with to get us to pay,more road tax,more fuel tax,more council tax and more and more and more.
alberto, Manchester (21/12/2007 at 18:19)
Simple rule of traffic management:
The amount of traffic expands to fill the available space.
When the roadworks are completed you will simply see more vehicles taking up the available space!
rammylad, ramsbottom (21/12/2007 at 18:26)
Yes I am sure there are cases where one journey or solution will negatively impact on another but no one can dispute the obvious ones such as the coaches outside CIS or the empty bus lanes or the increased size of the traffic islands to make two lane roads one lane.
As for the minority (bus drivers) who jump red lights. Instead of slowing down the traffic signals to introduce a false sense of security, lets start throwing them in jail, it will soon stop them and we can keep the honest drivers moving.
As for us motorists being experts, well actually we are, practice makes perfect etc. i.e. A traffic engineer monitors some stats and perhaps drives a road once on one day, with one set of weather conditions and one set of circumstances. As daily users we experience many different conditions and therefore can see the best solution not just 'a' solution.
One final final point, the congestion is council made and this is our opourtunity to sort it out or as a minimum our opourtunity to give our advice and then refuse to pay the CON charge if they fail to take action.
Blue Chris, On The Blue Moon (21/12/2007 at 19:43)
Traffic is much worse in the area since they were put up. Also, when stopped by the lights and the link road is flowing well, to accelerate from standstill off the lights and merge on to what is basically a motorway with trucks and cars going 70mph is an accident waiting to happen.
markusace, Macclesfield (22/12/2007 at 13:59)
The field 'location' on the survey is unclear. Is it the loaction of the problem or the location of the person commenting?
Honestly I think this survey has not been very well put together.