Andy Burnham | Manchester Mayor

Prestwich_Blue said:
I don't use my car much these days as I work in town and Prestwich is well served by public transport but I'd quibble with that statement. It's quite probable that there are more cars on the road but councils, particularly Manchester & Salford, have instituted a number of measures over the years to make life more difficult more motorists, and to encourage people onto sometimes inadequate public transport.

There are strong arguments in favour of bus lanes but the lanes should be contiguous, not stop/start. And why do you need those enforced for as long as they are? As you'll know, the one down Bury Old Road by Heaton Park, which goes into Manchester, is in force between 7am and 10am, then 4pm to 7pm. Why not just 7:30am to 9am? Why do we need to enforce bus lanes in the afternoon rush hour going against the direction of rush hour traffic? In Salford, if you're driving out of town, at the junction of BNR and Moor Lane/Singleton Rd, the right hand lane is right turn only, which forces a huge volume of traffic into one lane(although they. have thankfully returned to traffic light sequence to a less problematic one).

I fully understand why councils would prefer people to use public transport but without major investment, people are still going to use cars. Congestion causes more pollution so while we can't obviously create infinite road capacity in urban areas, we should be looking to remove measures that increase congestion where possible. It's great to see that Bury Council are building a multi-storey car park on Fairfax Road to replace the previous one to encourage people to use it as a Park-and-Ride hub but why is there no equivalent bus service on Bury New Road to the 135 on Bury Old Road?

Let's do what cities like York & Oxford do, and have multiple, huge Park-and-Ride locations outside their city centres and a regular bus service from these locations (if there's no tram stop).

By the way, I'm happy with Burnham as mayor. Manchester has shown it can work with central government, even one that's not from the same party. But given the hand that central government has dealt local government generally since 2010, I think he's stuck up for us robustly and played his hand well.
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There's park and ride on every tram line.
 
BTH said:
Nobody's forced you out of your car. Grow up.

However, increased car density across GM has ensured that roads are clogged up at all hours of the day.
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But that's the fault of all the other drivers, not me.
 
Vic said:
There's park and ride on every tram line.
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Well yes but the quantity and quality are very variable. On the Bury - Victoria line for instance there's just 96 free spaces at Bury Interchange itself.

There's a big multi-storey at Radcliffe and Whitefield, a few spaces at Besses, they're building a new multi-storey at Prestwich, there's a handful of spaces at Heaton Park, just on-street parking at Bowker Vale, about 30 spaces at Crumpsall, a big car-park at Abraham Moss and I think you can use the Irish Centre/Niu Hotel car park at Queens Road.

But I was thinking more of the sort of P&R spaces in Oxford, for example, where there's a few big ones around the city edges that can accommodate hundreds or over a thousand cars with a fleet of buses going in and out.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
Well yes but the quantity and quality are very variable. On the Bury - Victoria line for instance there's just 96 free spaces at Bury Interchange itself.

There's a big multi-storey at Radcliffe and Whitefield, a few spaces at Besses, they're building a new multi-storey at Prestwich, there's a handful of spaces at Heaton Park, just on-street parking at Bowker Vale, about 30 spaces at Crumpsall, a big car-park at Abraham Moss and I think you can use the Irish Centre/Niu Hotel car park at Queens Road.

But I was thinking more of the sort of P&R spaces in Oxford, for example, where there's a few big ones around the city edges that can accommodate hundreds or over a thousand cars with a fleet of buses going in and out.
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yeah I've parked on that huge car park. There's one just outside Bakewell too for the coffin dodger tourists.
 
The contract to build Old Trafford will be put out to tender and it also must be said that the current designs are said to be “conceptual”.

Commenting on the matter, the club stated “illustrative concepts were produced to help shape thinking and demonstrate the transformative potential of a new stadium. These concepts serve as a starting point for the next phase of work – which will include more detailed feasibility studies, fan consultation, and designer development.”

The process of hiring an architect is currently under way and will be carried out “following appropriate due diligence and in line with governance policies.”
 
bluemoon32 said:
He's a right sly ****
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He is but he also knows how to do politics. Personally, can’t see him as the PM/PL but think he’d do a good job as Deputy.

Would he be willing to be fast tracked into a seat and take up the role, does he even want to be an MP while he’s got such a good job as GM Mayor, especially with all the investment coming into the area?

Ps. Why do I get this sneaking suspicion the the likes of Scruffy Jim have pushed him on this?
 
Driving up from down south today - radio phone-in in the East Midlands -

"Should Andy Burnham stand for PM - we have a caller on the line ins Gary from Melton Mowbray what say you Gary?"
" Yeah I think he should do it just to get him away from Manchester. He has been a disaster for the place"
"Have you lived there when he is Mayor Gary?"
"no.... no but he has destroyed the place"
" He's a 3 time elected Mayor Gary - doesn't sound like a guy who is destroying the place"

Later Gary revealed he is a Reform Supporter who also thinks Ant Middleton should be parachuted in to replace Sadiq Khan in London despite being a 3 time elected Mayor ( London being another place Gary has never lived in ) no election needed obvs - political discourse in the UK has been corrupted by people's opinions based on no actual experience or debate. Its a joke.


To contextualise what I am saying nobody will be unaware I despised the last Tory Admin. Our MP was a Johnson lick spittle and making him Sir Simon Clark was a joke. Never got to speak to him sadly as he didn't live here - he dumped his wife and young child for a mistress he had tupped and he moved to York.
I met with the incoming Labour MP Luke Myer when he was campaigning - we had robust discussion and debate on issues and I voted for him. Subsequently I have e-mailed him to express my disappointments on the WFA decision and whats going on in Gaza. We ( or me and his staff ) have exchanged e-mail views and I have pointed out that as things stand I will reluctantly go to LD because their candidate Jemma Joy is a superb councillor - active locally ( which to be fair so is Luke ) but I understand she is a local ward councillor not a a constituency MP. His response is that he hopes we will meet soon ( invited me to go to his surgery ) and looks forward to us discussing things on the campaign trail.

That should be how it works not hearing from a mate off an FB page that Nigel says Romanians are eating swans - we are rapidly losing the route to political discourse in the UK.
 
I think Andy Burnham should put his own house in order before he gets grandiose ideas. He's been Mayor for 8 years and has failed miserably to sort out the hell hole that is Piccadilly Gardens. God help us if cannot sort that one out.
 
Earlyriser said:
I think Andy Burnham should put his own house in order before he gets grandiose ideas. He's been Mayor for 8 years and has failed miserably to sort out the hell hole that is Piccadilly Gardens. God help us if cannot sort that one out.
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so his whole tenure is defined by a central plaza and not other things like say public transport or road repairs? Are they his sole responsibility or does the wider council have to look after them?

I have lived where I am now for 27 years and I have never been able to sort out the small front lawn I have - all mossy and and patchy grass but the rest of the front and back are thriving - a riot of colour and full of wildlife in summer. Yes the lawn remains a disappointment but I shan't be nuking the house because of that failure.
 
bluethrunthru said:
so his whole tenure is defined by a central plaza and not other things like say public transport or road repairs? Are they his sole responsibility or does the wider council have to look after them?

I have lived where I am now for 27 years and I have never been able to sort out the small front lawn I have - all mossy and and patchy grass but the rest of the front and back are thriving - a riot of colour and full of wildlife in summer. Yes the lawn remains a disappointment but I shan't be nuking the house because of that failure.
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I think it's called leadership
 
As someone who lives in the Leeds area, i'd happily take your public transport system. If you don't like it send it our way. Thx
 
Earlyriser said:
I think Andy Burnham should put his own house in order before he gets grandiose ideas. He's been Mayor for 8 years and has failed miserably to sort out the hell hole that is Piccadilly Gardens. God help us if cannot sort that one out.
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He isn't Mayor of Manchester, just the combined authority, and the gardens are down to MCC.

You haven't a clue what his role is.
 
Corky said:
He isn't Mayor of Manchester, just the combined authority, and the gardens are down to MCC.

You haven't a clue what his role is.
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Under his remit as Police and Crime Commissioner he is the public voice for Policing. So you think the Drug taking, Violence, Muggings etc in the Gardens is not a Police matter? It's people like you who clearly vote for the prick
 
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