Greater Manchester Highway Works on the Key Route Network from 23/12/2016

Emma Gaydon, TfL, writes

This is just to let you know Tower Bridge reopened to all traffic at 12noon today (Thursday 22 December), following the completion of the City of London’s essential maintenance work.

The diversion routes have been removed and the Congestion Charge will be back in place from 07:00 tomorrow, Friday 23 December until 18:00. It will be suspended from Saturday 24 December until Monday 2 January 2017. The daily charge will apply again from Tuesday 3 January.

Please note any drivers following the free diversion route, which had been in place, for the rest of today (Thursday 22 December) will not have to pay the congestion charge.

All the best for the festive season­­­

Jon Lamonte, CEO TfGM writes

I am pleased to confirm that the Greater Manchester Low-Emission Strategy (LES) and Greater Manchester Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) have now been published by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

Developed by Transport for Greater Manchester on behalf of the Combined Authority, the LES and AQAP concentrate on measures to tackle nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions from road transport as the most effective way to improve air quality in the city region, while also helping to reduce carbon emissions.

They complement the Greater Manchester Climate Change and Low Emissions Implementation Plan, produced by New Economy for the GMCA and also now published, which focuses on making the most of the region’s energy and resources through reducing its carbon footprint.

The LES takes a long-term approach to carbon emissions and air quality, aiming to reduce emissions from transport and encourage sustainable travel, including public transport, cycling and walking. It gives the context up to 2040 for policies to address harmful emissions and support Greater Manchester’s wider economic, social and environmental ambitions.

The AQAP sets out specific measures which will reduce air pollution as a contributor to ill-health in Greater Manchester, and meet tough UK Government and EU air quality thresholds as soon as possible, while supporting the sustainable economic growth of the region. In this plan ‘Key Priority Areas’ have been identified – locations with the highest levels of air pollution near major roads and areas with heavy traffic in towns and cities – where most work will be focused. TfGM will work with Greater Manchester’s ten councils and other partners to implement AQAP measures.

PDFs of the LES and AQAP can be viewed and downloaded from the GMCA website at https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/airquality.

If you have any questions on the LES and AQAP, please contact Matthew O’Neill, TfGM Lead Air Quality Officer, by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For the added convenience of members, these documents are also available in the IoC Standards Archive here

Emma Gaydon TfL writes

There are a number of planned works which will impact the road network from the beginning of January 2017, especially around Blackfriars/Victoria Embankment and Cannon Street.

Thames Tideway Tunnel construction at Blackfriars/Victoria Embankment

Tideway is building the new sewage tunnel under the River Thames, and will start construction of a connection shaft alongside Victoria Embankment from Monday 2 January 2017. The construction site is between Blackfriars and Temple Avenue.

The westbound traffic on the Victoria embankment slip road will be on diversion from Monday 2 January 2017 until 2021. For vehicles travelling westbound that need to access Victoria Embankment, signed diversion routes will be in place:

·         Travelling north on Blackfriars Road: Stamford Street, IMAX roundabout, Waterloo Bridge, Strand, Arundel Street and Temple Place

·         Travelling south on New Bridge Street: Fleet Street, Strand, Arundel Street and Temple Place

Please note there are no height, weight or width restrictions on the diversion route apart from a length restriction of 40 feet on Fleet Street. Vehicles longer than 40 feet should use Stamford Street.

From Monday 2 until Monday 23 January, full closures will be in place to traffic in both directions on the Victoria Embankment slip road as follows:

·         21:00–05:00 each night from Monday 2 until Friday 20 January

·         From 05:00 Saturday 21 until 05:00 Monday 23 January

On these dates westbound traffic will be diverted along Fleet Street (note length restriction), Strand, Arundel Street and Temple Place. Eastbound traffic will be diverted along Puddle Dock Lane and Queen Victoria Street.

The existing loading bays on Temple Avenue/Victoria Embankment along the westbound lane will be suspended from Monday 2 to Thursday 23 January.

At the end of January, Tideway will start building a connecting shaft for the new sewage tunnel, further west along Victoria Embankment between Northumberland Avenue and Horse Guards Place. Two-way traffic will be maintained.

For travel advice, please visit www.tfl.gov.uk/victoria-embankment

More information available on the Tideway website at www.tideway.london

Emergency gas works on Victoria Embankment
National Grid are carrying out emergency works on a gas leak on Victoria Embankment at the junction of Temple Avenue. All lanes are open to vehicles, but with a speed restriction of 20mph and a slight reduction in the width of traffic lanes. Please note National Grid may need to alter these works depending on the severity of the gas leak. If the road layout changes we will let you know as soon as possible.

Westbound closure of Cannon Street from 2 January 2017
To support the Bloomberg Development, the City of London will be closing Cannon Street westbound between Monument and Mansion House for six weeks, starting on Monday 2 January.

Roadworks over the festive period
As you will have seen from the Freight Bulletin, works continue at Upper Holloway with planned closures of the A1 Holloway Road due to continue until mid-January whilst the bridge is replaced. Vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are not permitted to use the signed diversion route and the ban is being rigorously enforced. For the HGV diversion route, please click here.

The traffic switch for A1 Archway A1 takes place on Saturday 17 December. Click here for more information. Please click here for the latest information and traffic impact maps for other major schemes. Click here (MailChimp tracker link) for an update on the Tower Bridge works.

John Fryer, Events Manager for TfGM writes

Important Information: Permanent changes and upcoming roadworks

Manchester city centre

I am writing to share with you important information about how key investment schemes in Greater Manchester’s future economic prosperity might have a short-term impact on journey times in the city centre over the next few weeks. We will be encouraging people to consider their own journey plans – re-time, re-route, re-mode – to reduce the effects of congestion.

Journey times for drivers and bus passengers are likely to be adversely affected throughout January and into February, particularly at the peak travelling times and especially in the evening.

Your help in distributing this information is greatly appreciated.

Network Rail’s Ordsall Chord investment – Sunday 18 December to Monday 2 January

Network Rail is carrying out engineering works over the Christmas period on part of the rail network that serves Manchester city centre stations.

It is the latest phase of their £1 billion investment locally, which includes the Ordsall Chord rail link between Manchester’s Victoria and Piccadilly stations, opening up network capacity and supporting the regional economy.

The work will take place between Sunday 18 December and Monday 2 January and will affect many train services which run to or through Manchester Victoria, Oxford Road and Piccadilly stations.

The work includes removing and replacing the bridge at Water Street, strengthening the Castlefield viaduct, laying new track and realigning existing track as well as adding overhead line equipment and signals.

Roads around where the rail work is taking place – Trinity Way, Water Street, Liverpool Road – will be affected by local diversions.

Network Rail has planned the work so it results in minimal disruption over what is traditionally a quieter time of the year for commuter journeys.

We have created a journey planning page on our website to help people stay on the move during the works which can be found here: www.tfgm.com/ordsall-chord

For more information about the work itself, the Network Rail website has more information at www.networkrail.co.uk/ordsallchord

The transformation of the Oxford Road corridor – Wednesday 4 January to Sunday 8 January

Our work to transform one of Europe’s busiest bus corridors, Oxford Road, is nearing completion, however, more work is required in early 2017 to finish off this major project.

From Wednesday 4 January through to Sunday 8 January, inclusive, further resurfacing of the corridor will require it to be closed from the junction of Booth Street up to just south of the Charles Street junction. This closure will ensure that work can be carried out safely and efficiently. This will mostly affect local traffic due to the operational bus gate now in place between Hathersage Road and Denmark Road.

While east to west crossings of the corridor will still be possible along Booth Street there will likely be a knock-on effect on surrounding roads.

Our delivery partners at Manchester City Council are writing to neighbouring properties advising them of the upcoming work. A copy of this letter is attached.

More information about TfGM’s transformation of the Oxford Road corridor can be found at tfgm.com/oxfordroad

Redevelopment of the former BBC site on Oxford Road – Monday 9 January to Sunday 12 February

Following completion of TfGM’s resurfacing work on Oxford Road, Bruntwood’s redevelopment of the former BBC site, or Circle Square as it’s now known, will require the full closure of Brook Street – between Upper Brook Street and Princess Street – in order to carry out essential utility connections.

This closure will come into effect from Monday 9 January through to Sunday 12 February, inclusive.

We are working with Manchester City Council to help drivers avoid congestion in the area, including the provision of travel advice.

We have put the travel advice on our website at tfgm.com/city-centre-works and would advise anyone who regularly uses this route to familiarise themselves with the work in advance. Manchester City Council’s highway team will be signposting a diversion route for drivers but we would expect the area to busier than usual for much of the four weeks.

Metrolink’s Second City Crossing and new traffic priorities – Sunday 8 January

Our own work to add the Metrolink Second City Crossing is nearing completion and from 8 January, there will be permanent changes to city centre roads to ensure trams, buses, cars and bikes can share the space with each other. The changes mostly affect Princess Street and Cross Street.

While drivers will be used to restrictions and diversions imposed during the construction of the tram tracks, the introduction of new and permanent changes in the city as well as the closure of Brook Street for work could combine to exacerbate congestion on already-busy routes, especially as both occur around the same time.

We have put more information about what’s happening on our website at tfgm.com/city-centre-works.

Plan ahead and know your travel options

We are working with the city council and the developers to raise awareness of the potential for increased journey times as we expect them to take longer than they usually would.

Our message for those travelling back into the city after the festive break is to be aware of changes and to reduce the risk of being affected by congestion by planning ahead. Roads around the locations where work is taking place will be busier and journey times will be impacted so we’re urging people to allow more time for their journey and to explore alternative routes and modes of travel.

We will be holding the travel information on our website at tfgm.com/city-centre-works.

Greater Manchester Highway Works on the Key Route Network from 16/12/2016

Greater Manchester Highway Works on the Key Route Network from 09/12/2016

Greater Manchester Highway Works on the Key Route Network from 02/12/2016