Change is on the way for Oxford Road as engineers dig in to transform it into a pedestrian, cyclist and bus-friendly space.
Transport for Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council are working together on a makeover for one of Europe’s busiest bus corridors, part of a £1 billion package of city centre infrastructure improvements by 2017.
The next phase will start on Monday (8 August) allowing new bus lanes and stops to be added, along with new segregated cycle lanes and ‘Dutch-style’ bike bypasses which safely separate cyclists from buses. At bus stops, instead of overtaking a bus, the rider can cycle ‘behind’ the stop, making it easier and safer for more people to use the popular route.
The work has been timed to coincide with university student holidays and be complete in early September.
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the TfGM Committee, said: “We’ll start to see a real difference to Oxford Road by the autumn, making the whole area a much more pleasant space for everyone who uses it.
“As well as the environmental improvements, the result will be better transport connections for people offering more, direct travel choices for work, education, leisure and healthcare.
“This is a significant investment in Greater Manchester’s economic future, the long-lasting benefits of which will easily outweigh the short-term disruption caused by its implementation, and I’m grateful for everyone’s patience and understanding while we get there.”
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, added: “Oxford Road is one of the busiest routes into the city centre, used by thousands of people each day. These improvements are about making the Oxford Road corridor as safe as possible for all road users and pedestrians, while also making sure cyclists of any ability are confident in using the new cycle infrastructure.”
To allow the work to take place safely and efficiently, a temporary one-way system will be introduced between Hathersage Road and Booth Street. The one-way working means traffic heading away from the city centre will need to use an alternative route, Upper Brook Street, from Monday (8 August) to Sunday 4 September.
During the temporary one-way working bus operators will also be using alternative routes and stops when travelling away from the city centre.
Cyclists will also be temporarily affected by the one-way system but they are being told they will be able to use Oxford Road in both directions as soon as safely practicable. In the meantime a signed diversion route is in place for them via Lloyd Street and Cambridge Street, and via Cavendish Street and Booth Street West.
TfGM has added details of the affected bus services to its website here, as well as a map to help drivers and cyclists navigate the area here.
The changes to Oxford Road, being introduced gradually through the year, will deliver faster bus journeys and ensure services are more punctual and reliable, while improvements to cycling facilities will make it easier and safer for more people to ride along this popular route, especially as it connects with other cycling improvements on Wilmslow Road.
Since June, the first of these permanent changes for Oxford Road has been the creation of a so-called ‘bus gate’ between Hathersage Road and Denmark Road.
‘Bus gates’ are new for Greater Manchester – there has been another on Portland Street since March – and are used to restrict general traffic access beyond a single point in the road so buses can operate more efficiently and punctually beyond them.
On Oxford Road it has meant general traffic heading into the city has been required to turn right at Hathersage Road between 6am and 9pm, 7 days-a-week.
To accommodate the new and future permanent changes to Oxford Road, neighbouring routes along Upper Brook Street and Princess Street have been improved to provide drivers with a permanent alternative route.
The work on Oxford Road marks a major landmark in the progress of the transformational Grow project. Grow will see more than £1 billion invested into city centre infrastructure improvements by 2017, including the Metrolink Second City Crossing, bus priority measures, six new and better cycle routes into the city centre and major rail improvements.
The Oxford Road scheme will ultimately see a bus and cycle-only corridor created between Hathersage Road and Grosvenor Street, to be introduced in phases as the work progresses.
The new cycle bypass lanes at bus stops, featuring coloured surfacing and pedestrian crossing points, including a zebra style crossing, inform riders, pedestrians and bus passengers of the layout so they are able to watch out for each other. Greater Manchester’s first lane like this was built opposite Whitworth Park last year as a trial and has been in use since.
For pedestrians the result will be a much improved, boulevard-style space for them to enjoy with wider footways and quieter roads. More than 140 new trees are being planted, including exotic species not usually found on British streets such as Japanese cherries, sweet gum trees and gingko.
A 3D video fly-through takes people on a virtual journey through the transformed city, showing improvements for bus users, cyclists, pedestrians and other road users.