Trio of firms picked for Manchester highways

A section of the road is to be reopened southbound after bus company Diamond threatened to take legal action against Manchester City Council over its decision to close the road to vehicles. 

The council has pledged to maximise the “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” High Speed 2 presents for regenerating the city centre and improving connections across the North, but called for an underground HS2 station at Manchester Piccadilly and the removal of the nearby Gateway House office block.

The city council is planning to scrap almost half of Manchester's 30,000 city centre parking spaces over the next 20 years and could redevelop some off-street car parks, after taking over control of 13 former NCP sites. 

The Government has unveiled fresh proposals for the High Speed Two rail link to boost Northern Powerhouse Rail connections, including additional platforms at Piccadilly station and at Manchester Airport.

Manchester City Council has published a draft 20-year transport strategy that includes the permanent pedestrianisation of Deansgate and a city centre “triangle” cycling route linking Deansgate, Whitworth Street West and the Northern Quarter. 

The property company has secured the backing of Transport for Greater Manchester in a city-wide initiative aimed at supporting safe returns to the workplace.

The airport will close Terminal 2 indefinitely due to low passenger numbers on fresh Government travel restrictions, and will operate from only two of its three terminals from September.  

The future of offices and a look at developments in Greater Manchester and Liverpool are among the topics under scrutiny at Place conferences in September.

The council aims to update the Our Manchester Strategy, launched in 2016 as a blueprint for creating a healthy and prosperous global city by 2025.