By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Deansgate road closure reversed after operator’s legal action
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > Legal > Deansgate road closure reversed after operator’s legal action
LegalNewsOperatorsTop Story

Deansgate road closure reversed after operator’s legal action

routeone Team
routeone Team
Published: December 7, 2020
Share
Deansgate closure overturned after Diamond Bus legal action
SHARE

Diamond Bus North West (DBNW) has successfully forced Manchester City Council (MCC) to reverse a decision that led to the closure of a section of Deansgate in the city centre. The U-turn came after MCC accepted that two Temporary Traffic Restriction Orders (TTROs) related to the closure contained “manifest errors.”

Contents
Deansgate closure TTRO process was abused, says DBNWLegal case ‘evidence of a need for franchising’, claim councillors

The Rotala subsidiary has also received £42,000 towards its costs of issuing court proceedings for judicial review of the closure decision. MCC approached DBNW one day before the court hearing was listed with an offer to reopen Deansgate to buses. The offer of payment towards the operator’s legal fees was made after that.

Deansgate closure TTRO process was abused, says DBNW

Deansgate was closed between King Street and Blackfriars Street earlier in 2020 using a TTRO under coronavirus COVID-19 legislation. DBNW claimed that the TTRO was made to further MCC’s long-held objective of closing Deansgate permanently, not in response to the pandemic. It led to the firm’s buses having to take “circuitous diversions via back streets.”

DBNW was advised by Backhouse Jones. Says Solicitor Libby Pritchard: “If MCC is to close Deansgate permanently, it has to follow the correct process. That, among other things, will include a public consultation to allow interested parties to voice legitimate concerns, and the safety and mobility of passengers on diverted routes.

Deansgate closure overturned by Diamond Bus North West
Diamond Bus North West’s legal representative says TTROs were made ‘as a contrivance to further MCC’s long-term aim to close Deansgate to all traffic’

“During the proceedings, MCC accepted that the first two TTROs made contained manifest errors.

“Our application for permission for the decision to be judicially reviewed was accepted by the court on the basis that the application evidenced that there were grounds to show that the TTRO was made as a contrivance to further MCC’s long-term aim to close Deansgate to all traffic.”

The operator says that it requested meetings to discuss the Deansgate closure prior to beginning a legal challenge. They included with Cllr Angeliki Stogia, Executive Member for Planning, Transport and Development.

“It is incorrect to put the blame for this legal case on DBNW. We simply used the judicial system to raise a challenge to MCC’s unlawful act. It is embarrassing that MCC is trying to blame its error on us,” the operator’s statement continues.

Ms Stogia has refuted DBNW’s claims. She says that MCC believes that it has “acted properly throughout, with the best interests of both bus passengers and other city centre users at heart.”

Legal case ‘evidence of a need for franchising’, claim councillors

In response, MCC says it will accelerate the process towards permanent closure of the section of Deansgate that is at the centre of the row. It adds that Deansgate will be reopened “for as short a period as possible.”

Bizarrely, Cllr Stogia and Cllr Marcus Johns have used DBNW’s victory as grounds to encourage the public to back calls for the introduction of bus franchising in Greater Manchester. A second consultation into reregulation of services is currently underway. It closes on 29 January 2021.

Cllr Johns says that DBNW’s legal challenge “is yet another case of the need to move quickly with franchising buses” in Manchester. He adds that reregulation will allow MCC to “start putting people before profit and build a better future for our city.” No explanation of the precise link between MCC’s wrongdoing and a need for franchising has been offered.

Cllr Stogia adds that it is “extremely frustrating” that DBNW chose to challenge the TTRO. In a contradictory statement, she says that MCC should “be discussing bus routes in partnership with operators” before adding – in the same sentence – that the legal challenge is “another illustration of why we need to bring bus routes back under public control.”

Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
Previous Article Kemi Badenoch response to coach industry support proposals Treasury reply to latest coach support proposals ‘in new year’
Next Article Josh Miles, CPT Cymru Director Josh Miles appointed as CPT Cymru Director
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Temsa HD12 and HD13 delivered to Cresta Coaches under Asset Alliance rental deal
Temsa pair join Cresta Coaches on Asset Alliance rental agreement
Deliveries
Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new £15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd