Metrolink users and toddlers attending nursery are being forced to add ten minutes on to their morning commute after a fence blocking a Manchester public path was erected yesterday.
The leader of the Pirate Party and a nearby nursery has blasted Transport for Greater Manchester for erecting the fence which blocks a shortcut to New Islington from its tram stop.
Loz Kaye, who lives in the area, noticed the extra fence which denies local residents the ability to a reach canal tow path that gives them access to a large part of New Islington.
Mr Kaye is critical of the additional fencing as it makes it harder for people to reach the tram station which, in turn, makes it more difficult to access public transport.
“We have spent public money on this and I would like to see that we spend public money on joined up thinking for public transport and that includes walking when you arrive somewhere,” he told MM.
“This is hindering transport in the area not helping.”
Epic transport #fail at #NewIslington. Access to New Islington fron New Islington @MCRMetrolink stop blocked. pic.twitter.com/4t89DRn2Vh
— Loz Kaye (@LozKaye) March 20, 2014
Little Learning Ladder Nursery is one of the businesses that has been affected in the area as parents have to take a de-tour to drop their children off.
Ann Marie Edwards, a supervisor at the nursery, told MM: “To be fair quite a lot of parents use it so we would like a good path because a lot of people went with their push chairs down there and it was a very muddy path.
“It saves you that ten minutes walking all the way around when you need to get the tram. We would like to see a proper path.”
Mr Kaye said that questions he had put to Metrolink about the new fencing, he described as an ‘Epic transport #fail’ on Twitter, had gone unanswered.
“I am meeting with residents today to talk to them about their concerns,” he said.
“There is just real frustration and if we do not get any sensible response it may well see that it gets removed. I would not be surprised if it got taken down.”
The campaigner also told MM that he had been hoping that the pathway could be opened up properly.
“I talked to a representative of the Canal and Rivers Trust a couple for weeks ago and they were pressing for it to be formalised,” he added.
Now it’s much more than 100m to the nursery. Y U NO LIKE TEH TODDLERS @MCRMetrolink ? pic.twitter.com/54HeICYr0G
— Loz Kaye (@LozKaye) March 20, 2014
A spokesman for Transport for Greater Manchester said they did not want people using the route as it could be dangerous.
“The boundary fence at New Islington prevents people from using what we consider to be an unsafe route – conscious that it leads on from a residential area with young families,” the spokesman said.
“The route in question is close to the canal edge, has an uneven surface which becomes slippery when wet and requires people to negotiate the lock crossing. Therefore there are clear safety implications, especially with young children living nearby.
“That said, we have listened to residents’ concerns and are now working with Manchester City Council and the Canal and Rivers Trust to provide modifications to the lock crossing and a safe, fully accessible, paved walking route direct from the canal lock to the Metrolink stop.”
Image courtesy of Dr Neil Clifton,via Flickr, with thanks.
