30 major new Greater Manchester developments spark fear of gridlocked roads and nightmare traffic

The mayor unveiled a £1bn growth fund for 31 different projects across all ten boroughs on Thursday (November 20). But with thousands of new homes, new retail spaces, warehousing, and sporting facilities planned for across the region, there are concerns the already ‘creaking’ highways system could become overwhelmed.

Responding to callers on BBC Radio Manchester, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham noted that the scheme included boosts for local infrastructure and public transport. But he also admitted the city’s road system ‘is close to seizing up’ and criticised the government for a ‘lack of commitment’ to investment into big infrastructure projects like railways.

Paul, a caller from High Lane in Stockport, asked Mr Burnham: “New developments sound well and good, but what about the knock-on effect on the already full grid-locked roads? It’s not just the centre, but the outskirts where I am in High Lane – it’s just a nightmare. Just doing all these new developments is adding to an already bad problem.”

The mayor noted that the developments will come alongside a ‘significant expansion’ of public transport infrastructure, including new trams to Stockport and a rail line to Denton.

And some of the funding is reserved for transport projects, such as turning Bury Interchange into a hub joining up bus, tram and active travel.

He went on: “But to take on board your point, the single biggest risk to our growth in Greater Manchester is the lack of a commitment from the UK government to the big infrastructure that the North West needs.

“I’m talking about rail lines, but also the congested motorways that we have on the M6 and M62. Our infrastructure is creaking. If nothing is done about that, that becomes an anti-growth policy because in the end people will say ‘well you can’t invest there because you can’t get around’.

“I’m not ducking the question, we are doing things in the short term. A good example is we’re bringing eight rail lines into the Bee Network starting next year, so we’re going to make the most of the capacity that we’ve got.

“But your point is a valid one. We need commitment to big infrastructure, otherwise this place will seize up. Some would say it’s close to that already.”

Andy Burnham make a speech about the new funding package in Stockport yesterday.