Walking Across Manchester
I know I posted that it was wet, as I walked between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria stations. But it wasn’t an easy walk!
There were a few signposts to Victoria, but I didn’t see one map anywhere, so in the end I followed the tram lines, which I knew went to the station. Or they did last time I was in Manchester, but now due to the rebuilding of Victoria they don’t. I met a couple from Bolton with their grandchildren at Victoria, who’d used the tram to get to Victoria. They missed the alternative stop and had ended up in Rochdale. So they had to come back on another tram.
Incidentally, when I left Piccadilly, I found that the free buses that go all over Manchester city centre don’t actually connect the two stations without a change. I suppose this is to ensure that those changing between the two stations with or without heavy baggage use a taxi or pay for a tram to get lost in Rochdale.
Because my eyes don’t respond quickly to fast moving objects from the left, I always cross the road using a light controlled crossing. For extra safety I generally use the thingy underneath to tell me of the green light. But I found a lot of these buttons were missing as I got near Victoria. As were the signposts! Vandalism or theft?
The Anonymous Widower 
Victoria Station is very difficult to find from everywhere except the inside of MEN Arena, which has an underpass. And the trams are a pain too, not least because scooters and wheelchairs aren’t allowed on them.
Comment by nosnikrapzil | April 6, 2014 |
I once heard the Mancunian motoring journalist, Steve Berry,, say that those who use buses are the lowest of the low. So perhaps those, who can’t drive and use public transport are considered second class citizens by the Council.It’s certainly a difficult city centre to walk around. Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle are much better.
Comment by AnonW | April 6, 2014 |
I think part of the problem with Manchester is that is much larger and more sprawling than many city centres. Plus at the far end of Deansgate you are suddenly in another city – Salford.
Comment by nosnikrapzil | April 6, 2014 |
I’ve always believed that Greater Manchester needs a Mayor. Ken and Boris have done wonders for London’s transport and have generally used a big stick to knock the various London Boroughs into line. I think Londons’ broughs don’t squabble as much as Manchesters’ do!
Comment by AnonW | April 6, 2014 |
Manchester City Council used to practice positive discrimination (may still do) and the joke around the other authorities was that in order to get a job with them you needed to be a one legged black lesbian with a mental health problem. I gather they sifted applications, fished out the applicants from various different minority groups, interviewed them and only looked at the other applicants if they couldn’t appoint from the first group. Which is discrimination. Best candidate should get the job regardless of whether or not they belong to a minority group.
Comment by nosnikrapzil | April 6, 2014 |