'An absolute joke': Fury over Deansgate cycle lanes after weekend of gridlock

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The decision to turn Deansgate into a one-way route for motorists has been branded an 'absolute joke' after traffic meltdown in Manchester city centre over the weekend.

Drivers were left in queues of over an hour at a time as Deansgate and surrounding roads were jammed into total gridlock across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

In chaotic scenes, some motorists began mounting pavements to try to get through, with videos circulating online of fights breaking out among motorists stuck in the jams. READ MORE: Tributes to Manchester music legend who was 'life and soul of the party' Since the start of the pandemic, bike lanes have been put in place on Deansgate in an effort to promote walking and cycling in town.

Temporary lanes were later replaced by ‘interim’ measures in 2022, which saw the introduction of the black-and-white bollards which are officially called ‘wand orcas’.