Press release: Tuesday 21 April – for immediate release  

Campaigners are urging more of Greater Manchester’s local political parties to support action to tackle the cost of living crisis, by making it cheaper and easier to get around using options such as public transport, walking and cycling, as well as reducing reliance on oil imports.

The Better Plan for GM campaign (www.abetterplanforGM.co.uk), run by local groups with interests in health, road safety and the environment [1], is calling on local parties to sign up to a set of 5 key demands [2]. In outline, these relate to:

  1. Better local transport services: including buses, trains and trams that run more efficiently, connect more places and cost less, with better-coordinated timetables and ticketing.

  2. Repairing roads and paths. Given the risks posed by potholes, damaged pavements and ice – particularly to cyclists and older or disabled pedestrians – repairing existing roads is far more important than building new ones, and is more popular too.

  3. People-friendly streets: where everyone – young, old and disabled people alike – can get around under their own steam, particularly by walking, cycling or using mobility aids.

  4. Low traffic homes: locating and designing new housing so that key destinations (e.g. schools, shops, transport hubs) can be easily reached without needing to drive.

  5. Clear goals and monitoring: Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and local councils should set ambitious targets for the proportion of trips made sustainably, in line with wider  climate and air quality objectives, including for trips linked to new housing developments.

The campaign has contacted the 5 main parties in each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs. Responses have so far been received from 8 (i.e. 16%) of these local parties [3].

Encouragingly, these responses have been strongly supportive, with only minor reservations about the idea of ‘low traffic homes’. However the campaigners now want other local parties to tell voters if they too support these proposals, as they could make a huge difference to people’s lives, and to the economy, environment and quality of life in Greater Manchester.

The campaign comes as TfGM prepares to finalise an updated Local Transport Plan (LTP), following a public consultation earlier this year [4]. The campaigners are therefore urging the local parties not only to commit to action in their own boroughs if elected, but also to press for action throughout the city region on matters for which TfGM is responsible, e.g.public transport coordination and fares, and the setting of GM-wide targets.

Pete Abel from Manchester Friends of the Earth said:

“Air pollution across Greater Manchester is above the World Health Organisation recommended levels and road traffic is now the single largest sector for climate emissions. Improving bus services, creating safe walking and cycling routes, and curbing traffic around schools to protect children’s health will all help Greater Manchester have healthy air and to meet our climate targets.” 

Sarah Rowe from the Clean Cities Campaign said:

“Everyone deserves streets that are safe, clean, and welcoming. Right now, our pavements are cluttered and our air is polluted by carspreading. Councillors have the power to reclaim space for people not cars—by tackling pavement parking and championing the public and active travel options that give all of us more choice in how we get around.”

Will York from Walk Ride GM said:

“Walking, wheeling and cycling should be the natural choice for journeys in Greater Manchester – whether that’s going to school, work, the shops, or just to your nearest train, tram or bus stop. The only way to solve our traffic problems is for people to drive less – that means fixing pavements, building a cycle network, and planning neighbourhoods around public transport, not cars.”

Marj Powner from Friends of Carrington Moss said:

“We have asked prospective candidates to prioritise sustainable transport for passengers and freight over new roads, ensuring that New Carrington developments are built around sustainable transport hubs, not financially and ecologically expensive new road schemes.”

Roger Geffen from Low Traffic Future said:

“Transport is one of the key responsibilities of local councils. One of the best things they can do to help people tackle the cost of living crisis – not to mention the climate, health and other crises – is to enable people to get around without depending on driving. We urge more local parties to say whether they agree with our proposals and for local voters to vote accordingly.”

– ENDS –

Contact: Roger Geffen or Ed Lamb, Low Traffic Future – hello@lowtrafficfuture.org.uk or 07547 029171

Notes to editors

[1] The campaign is being run jointly by Manchester Friends of the Earth, the Clean Cities Campaign, Walk Ride GM and the Friends of Carrington Moss, and is coordinated by the Low Traffic Future alliance.

[2] The 5 key demands, and the reasons for them, are set out more fully at https://lowtrafficfuture.org.uk/betterplanforgm/gm-key-demands.

[3] The 8 responses received so far include the local Green Parties for 5 boroughs (the cities of Manchester and Salford, Bury, Stockport and Tameside), 2 local Liberal Democrat parties (the cities of Manchester and Salford) and 1 local Labour party (Stockport). These responses are summarised at https://lowtrafficfuture.org.uk/betterplanforgm/responses/.

[4] Information about Transport for Greater Manchester’s current Local Transport Plan and the recent consultation on a new LTP is at https://tfgm.com/strategy.