For two days, streets in the heart of Manchester are set to be transformed into tranquil, people‑centred spaces. Between September 22 and 23, five streets in Manchester will be temporarily transformed into pedestrian spaces, playing host to a range of fun events, pop‑ups, informative experiences and more.
Over the past five years the Council has worked with partners to expand and improve spaces across the city which are focused around walking, wheeling and cycling. From Stevenson Square and Thomas Street to the ongoing outdoor seating trial in the Gay Village and the trees on Deansgate, there has been a lot to cheer for in recent years.
Road closures for vehicles
From Tuesday, September 22 the following streets will be closed to vehicles:
- Fountain Street from York Street to Church Street
- Nicholas Street from George Street to Mosley Street
- Tib Street from the Ring Road to Foundry Lane
- Paton Street from Back Piccadilly to Piccadilly
- Lena Street from Back Piccadilly to Piccadilly
Closures will be in place from 5am on Tuesday 22 September to 11pm on Wednesday 23 September. Signed diversions will also be in place.
The closure of Fountain Street will mean the High Street taxi rank will be unavailable, but temporary taxi ranks will be set up on Marble Street and Thomas Street for the duration of the closures, and these will be signed from High Street.
What will be happening on these streets?
Both Tib Street and Nicholas Street will be event sites where the public will be able to go and enjoy what is on offer. The remaining three streets will simply be given over to people.
Groups at the pop‑up locations will include the National Trust, The RHS and Sow the City, who will be offering apple tastings from local community orchards. MCR Active will showcase what an active street can look like, holding fun events for everyone to enjoy, and the Canal and River Trust will be on site to highlight the wide array of easy and accessible walks across the city region.
The event will also be used as a chance to ask people what they think of green spaces in the city centre, how they are used and whether they would like to see more. People are encouraged to share their thoughts here.
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “We want to use this opportunity to showcase the positive impact that can be felt when we re-imagine what our street can be used for.
“Many people will fondly look back at times when there were fewer cars on the road, where people could use streets to meet one another and spend time, where kids could play without the fear of what danger lay on the road.
“This scheme is part of a wider trend in Manchester where we give more space for people and nature. Several years ago there were major doubts when steps were taken to pedestrianise Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter, and then give over large amounts of space for drinking and dining in Stevenson Square. But looking back, it is hard to imagine those spaces being for anything else.
“These are just two days out of 365, but I am hoping that as many people as possible will come and enjoy the events and maybe spark conversation about how they can travel in different ways around our city centre.”
Steve Connor, programme director, CyanLines said: “We’re on a mission to bring more nature into our city centre, and the activities we’ve planned with the Council and our many partners for Walk on the Wildside will do just that.
“The more opportunities we have to connect residents, businesses and visitors with nature, the closer we’ll get to realising our goal of creating an amazing city-wide network of green and blue spaces, woven together through CyanLines.”
