CORRESPONDENT Mr Staton ("Congestion causes M60 Pollution", February 11) complains that signal arrangements in the Prestwich area are obstacles to "cars moving freely" and that is a cause of Traffic pollution.
However, if he truly appreciated the volume of traffic passing through the area then he would realise that the opposite is true and that the signal arrangements have been made to accommodate a number of competing interests converging on the area.
These interests include commuters and other through motorists, as well as other motorists and pedestrians using what is a busy commercial centre with major retail developments on both sides of the A56, just south of the M60 roundabout.
Alterations in Prestwich Village centre last year were introduced by the councils transportation team. As well as the introduction of the parking bays in the village centre, there are new or replacement puffin crossings facilities to enable pedestrians to cross the busy A56 road for shops and the Metrolink.
There have been one or two teething problems co-ordinating the new signal arrangements with existing ones and this has been the main cause of delays in peak hours. Greater Manchester Urban Traffic Control (GMUTC), which maintains the traffic signals on the councils behalf, has been working on the problem.
It will be difficult to ensure that traffic flows totally freely because the A56 was not designed to cope with this volume of traffic, especially in peak periods.
New parking bays along the A56 are "loading" and "limited waiting" bays and have been provided after many shopkeepers requested them to allow them to run their businesses more effectively and to help attract passing trade. It must be remembered that a balance does need to be struck.
GMUTC is gradually introducing a new system along the A56 which will allow remote monitoring of the signals from a central location in Manchester enabling staff to alter signal timings to suit demand and improve traffic flow. Currently, the signalised junctions are on fixed-cycle times which has contributed to some of the delays.
COUN MIKE CONNOLLY,
Executive member for
environment and transport.
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