Precinct Centre...

Manchester is traffic chaos at the moment. A perfect storm of traffic problems and improvement schemes has made the city centre a traffic nightmare.

In the university, Oxford Road is closed, shutting down the busiest bus route in Europe. They have done this while they begin to refurbish the Manchester Business School. They have started this project off by tearing down a pedestrian bridge over Oxford Road. Back in the 1960s the idea was that traffic would use Oxford Road while people would use a walkway that linked all the university buildings along Oxford Road above the street level. It didn't happen and the only bit that survives is the bridge over Oxford Road.

The architects who designed the Precinct Centre also were responsible for the Arndale Centre with its oppressive bridge over the bottom of Market Street. And, even worse, they were responsible for the crescent deck access flats in Hulme which became so bad they had to be torn down. IMO they should be put on trial for crimes against architecture.

The bridge across Oxford Road has gone now and, for the first time since the sixties, you can stand outside the old university buildings and see right up Oxford Road to the Palace Hotel and Central Library.

When I rule Manchester, the first thing that is coming down is the Arndale Centre bridge. After that I'm open to suggestions....