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Car Free Streets for Manchester

news release

Manchester Friends of the Earth (FoE), Manchester’s award winning environmental group [1], today welcomed plans for closure of City Centre streets on 21st and 22nd September to mark In Town Without My Car Day, a European-wide celebration of clean air and sociable streets [3].

Graeme Sherriff, co-ordinator of Manchester FoE, is enthusiastic:

“People need to be reminded that the gridlocked streets, dangerous roads and polluted air that we see every day are not the only way it can be. This weekend we are shown another way, one that makes Manchester a place for people, not cars. Manchester FoE welcomes this event and anticipates that it is matched with policies and developments that encourage walking, cycling and public transport as the main ways to get around the Manchester.”

Manchester FoE would like to see the principles espoused in this weekend’s events to become mainstream policy. In particular:

  • Providing a safe, consistent and well-maintained network of dedicated cycle routes and secure cycle storage points;
  • Ensuring safety for pedestrians and developing walking routes away from busy traffic;
  • Encouraging Manchester businesses to promote walking, cycling and public transport use for their workers’ journeys to, from and during work;
  • Providing facilities at public places, and encouraging business to do the same for their workers and visitors, for cyclists and pedestrians to shower and change on arrival;
  • Developing the idea of City Centre congestion charging and testing its feasibility in Manchester.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Manchester Friends of the Earth is a prominent pressure group, raising awareness and lobbying for policy changes at a local, regional, national and international level. The group consists entirely of volunteers, and its campaigns are funded by membership fees and individual donations. Up-to-date information is available on their website: https://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk. Manchester Friends of the Earth is part of a national network of local groups, affiliated to the national organisation (further information can be found at http://www.foe.co.uk).

2. Graeme Sherriff, co-ordinator of Manchester Friends of the Earth has recently won the ‘Earth Movers’ award for Inspirational Voice in campaigning on behalf of the organisation. This is a national annual award administered by national Friends of the Earth.

3. More information at http://www.22september.org.

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