Congestion in Greater Manchester
Economic growth fuels congestion
Greater Manchester has been successful in attracting new businesses and developing new jobs. While this is great news for the region, it causes pressure on our transport system. Car ownership has increased by roughly 25% over the last ten years, causing a permanent battle with road congestion. Traffic speeds coming into Greater Manchester in the morning rush hour have slowed by almost 20% since 2000.
The construction of new roads such as the M60 has helped for a while, but congestion is increasing again and it needs to be managed if the region is to continue to prosper.
Crowded public transport
At the same time, more people are using public transport. The number of passengers using trains and Metrolink to commute into Manchester has increased by over a third since 2000.
County Map showing rings (PDF 952k)
Proposed Inner & Outer Rings (PDF 3.1Mb)
