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By BETH ABBIT - June 16 2022
Hello,
So it looks like capped £2 bus fares will be available sooner than planned. Andy Burnham says they will now be launched in September - brought forward from Autumn 2023.
A single journey fare for children will be capped at £1. While it will cost £5 for an entire day’s travel. And the fare caps will apply to the whole conurbation, rather than the gradual roll-out that was initially planned, as transport reporter Charlotte Cox writes.
The Greater Manchester mayor says the decision is driven by the cost of living crisis. “We just want to help people now,” he says.
It’s not all plain sailing of course. The mayor’s plan is reliant on cooperation from bus operators and the Government. Earlier this year, a judge ruled against bus operators Rotala and Stagecoach - who claimed the mayor’s decision to move to a franchising system was unlawful. But Rotala is in the process of appealing the decision.
In another blow to the scheme, Greater Manchester was left with less money than hoped after bidding to the government for a total of £210m over three years - but getting £94.8m. The combined authority and the region’s ten councils have covered the cost of the fare cap for the first year - thought to be around £25million - through the Government’ ‘Bus Service Improvement’ fund.
Of course the mayor’s scheme largely depends on passenger numbers increasing (capacity is currently at 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels) and it will need to be reviewed annually. Mr Burnham admits ‘we can’t commit that this will be forever’.
But he obviously thinks it’s worth the risk. This morning, he proudly tweeted a picture of the Manchester Evening News front page running this story and wrote: “Good morning, Greater Manchester” with a winking emoji. For now at least, he’s obviously feeling chuffed about being able to fast-track major transport reform.
There Is A Flight That Never Goes Out
Johnny Marr seems to have lost patience with Manchester Airport. The Smiths guitarist tweeted this yesterday.
In fairness to airport bosses, they are running a major recruitment drive. And new managing director, Chris Woodroofe, only took up the reins last week. But Marr’s tweet is indicative of how many feel after months of long queues and cancelled flights.
This week, the problems have been compounded by overnight road closures on the M56. The motorway is closed between junctions 5 and 7 from 9pm until 6am every night up to and including Friday, June 17. Airport bosses say diversions will be in place and advise passengers to 'allow extra time for your journey to the airport as journey times will be longer than usual'.
Manchester Airport says all parts of the aviation sector are experiencing challenges linked to the rapid recovery from the pandemic and bosses are working hard with partners ‘to deliver the best possible service' in the circumstances.
“Following our recruitment drive, which started in January, we have had almost 400 people join our operation, and have a further 500 waiting to clear background checks before they can start,” a spokesperson said. “We are also supporting our partners, such as handling agents, airlines and retailers, to fill hundreds more roles ahead of the summer. This includes through a programme of more than 50 jobs fairs and events across the region.”
Manchester’s housing crisis
It’s an issue that Manchester’s new council leader has pledged to tackle head on - the city’s housing crisis. Having grown up on a council estate herself, Bev Craig says she knows first hand the security affordable housing can bring. She’s keen to expand affordable housing across the city.
As local democracy reporter Joseph Timan writes, the ambition is to build 36,000 new homes across the city over the next 10 years to keep up with demand - 10,000 of which should be affordable. It’s no small feat.
Sir Richard Leese’s 25-year reign as council leader saw huge growth across Manchester. But high demand for housing has contributed to a 'crisis', with an average of more than 1,000 people becoming homeless every month now. Almost 3,000 households are currently in temporary accommodation, including hundreds of families, with some in B&Bs, according to the latest data.
The council’s new housing strategy will see land being sold off cheap to housing associations; social housing being retrofitted to reduce bills and cut carbon emissions and developers encouraged to contribute to affordable housing.
The council has also set up it’s own development company, This City, aiming to build 500 new homes a year. The cost of renting many of these new homes will be capped at the Local Housing Allowance Level, making the newly-coined 'Manchester Living Rent' truly affordable.
Meanwhile, privately sold and rented properties within these developments would be used to raise revenue, subsidising the cost of the affordable ones. Councillors say 6,400 affordable homes should be built between 2015 and 2025.
They also want to see more affordable housing offered within city centre developments, including luxury skyscrapers. They will push developers to pay for more affordable housing, but say they have previously been ‘constrained’ by government policy which dictates that developers can make 20 percent profit before having to contribute to affordable housing.
Funding from Homes England is essential for housing associations, and cash is needed to cut carbon emissions by retrofitting homes. But town hall chiefs are hopeful they can win the government's support - citing the Victoria North development in Collyhurst.
Weather, etc.
- Friday: Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by late morning. 27C.
- Pollen count: Very high.
- Roads closed: M66 one lane closed southbound at J4 M60 M62 until June 21. A6052 Delph New Road, Dobcross, in both directions for roadworks between Wall Hill Road and Oldham Road until August 15
- Disruption expected to most train operating companies between June 21 and 26 due to industrial action.
- Manchester Day: Various city centre road closures on June 19. Details here.
- Today's Manc trivia question: Manchester Day is inspired by a parade in which American city?
Answer at the bottom of the newsletter
The ultimate modern millennial male
Harry Styles absolutely delighted his fans during his Emirates Old Trafford gig last night - the first of two. Dianne Bourne was there and has given Harry a glowing review.
“He’s in many ways the ultimate modern millennial male - comfortable in his own skin, and urging others to love themselves too. He loves his fashion as much as his achingly glamorous fans, and happily wraps himself in a Pride flag as he sings Boyfriends,” she writes.
Manchester headlines
Parklife arrests: Five men have been charged with criminal offences following arrests at this year's Parklife. A sixth man arrested - caught and held attempting to enter the festival grounds with a knife - has been locked up, police say. Atiqe Edwards, 18, of no fixed address, was sentenced to eight months in a Young Offenders' Institute on Monday for possession of a bladed article. Details here.
Payout: A man has been handed a 'substantial' out-of-court settlement from Greater Manchester Police after being 'unfairly treated'. Akinwale Arobieke sued the Chief Constable for malicious prosecution and misfeasance in public office and has now received the pay-out weeks before the trial was due to take place at Manchester County Court. In his civil claim against GMP, he alleged he was targeted by two particular officers, who are not being publicly named, from 2012.
Improvement notice: Tameside council will be issued with an official improvement notice over its children’s care department, which has been repeatedly criticised by Ofsted. The latest report says political and corporate leaders did not know their service and the impact on children ‘well enough’ and the response to some children ‘at immediate risk of harm had deteriorated’ since its last inspection. The Department for Education has now advised it will issue a formal improvement notice for 12 months at least. Full story here.
The Forum
This picture from Manchester's past shows the coffee lounge at Wythenshawe Forum back in 1973.
Worth a read
James Davenport’s story of addiction is a fascinating one. The dad-of-five says his obsessive behaviour started with vinegar. Looking back, he says he can pinpoint the exact moment his addictive behaviour began. “I used to steal it and drink it out of the bottle. With vinegar, I think I got a kick from it, a bit like with a chilli.”
James - who now supports others with a recovery show online - has spoken to reporter Paige Oldfield about his life. You can read the piece here.
That's all for today
Thanks for joining me, the next edition of the Mancunian Way will be with you around the same time tomorrow. If you have any stories you would like us to feature or look into, please contact me at beth.abbit@menmedia.co.uk
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The answer to today’s trivia question, Manchester Day is inspired by a parade in which American city, is the Thanksgiving parade in New York City.
