Slowest in Europe!

I don't want to turn this into a transport site but thought it was worth adding something to my last post on the basis of a survey published by road analysis website Keepmoving.co.uk which shows that Greater Manchester has the 4th most slow moving roads in Europe !

And some people , presumably with ostrich like tendencies , still argue that we should do nothing to tackle congestion !

21st CENTURY TRANSPORT

Well bicycles do have a part to play in a 21st century transport system and I intend to continue using mine as much as I can on trips to and from the Town Hall . But if the economy of Manchester is to thrive we will need a lot more than a few bikes . The city needs massive investment in public transport - buses,trains and trams,park-and-ride,it needs first-class facilities for passengers, and it needs all of this to be joined up with integrated timetables and ticketing, and fares need to be affordable. We also need to control the amount of traffic on the roads. Congestion is bad for our health and it costs our economy billions. That's why the 10 local authorities in Greater Manchester have submitted a bold plan to government that if successful could see between £2.5 and £3 billion invested in transport for Manchester and put the brakes on congestion. Like any bold plan there are opponents who have now even resorted to saying that I don't understand the needs of motorists because I don't drive . Well I might ride a bike, and I do regularly use buses,trains and metrolink, but I can also be seen regularly driving around the city. I'm not anti-car, just anti sitting in traffic jams.

A day at the seaside

Two days actually, at this year's Labour Party conference in Bournemouth - not a patch on Manchester last year and most delegates I spoke to are really looking forward to the conference coming back to Manchester next year. I went down to Bournemouth for two days for several reasons. Firstly, it was an opportunity to promote Manchester. I spoke at three fringe meetings, including the Core Cities meeting where I'm shown in the picture alongside Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Salford M.P. Hazel Blears. Secondly it is an opportunity to put policy proposals forward, and thirdly it is an opportunity to talk directly to ministers and their advisers about the things that are most important to Manchester people. In two days I met with dozens of influential people including at least 8 cabinet ministers about what our city needs - all of them short meetings that otherwise could have each taken weeks to set up and would have each involved a trip to London. Two days well spent from a council point of view but didn't see much of the sea !

Now some good news on Health

The last post on this Blog carried bad news about one of our local GP practices. In the last couple of weeks we have had good news about North Manchester General Hospital which is to retain a full range of maternity services and in the next couple of years will gain a range of children's services, including a children's accident and emergency service .
This is very good news for the health of people across North Manchester but we need more still . Much of the building at NMGH is well past its sell-buy date and desperately need replacing with modern, state-of-the-art facilities. Crumpsall councillor Richard Leese, pictured here outside A&E at NMGH has recently met the new Chief Executive who agrees that new hospital buildings at Crumpsall must be a priority.

Patients let down !!

Patients at the Oakleigh Medical Centre are being badly let down by the Manchester Primary Care Trust , the NHS body responsible for GP services

The PCT promised that when Dr Simenoff retires at the end of the month , patients would be reallocated to another local practice . Instead , patients are being sent to the NHS white elephant clinic right at the other end of Cheetham Hill when there are at least 5 GP practices much, much nearer - 3 within walking distance . It seems to me , that having built the clinic in the wrong place the PCT now have to fill it and as a result it is Crumpsall residents that will have to trek down there . They don't seem to have any consideration for older residents or the many people without cars . The City Council has taken this up in the strongest terms with the PCT and hopefully we will get something more sensible out of them .

Carnival Time !

Pirates on parade as Crumpsall Carnival celebrates its 11th year
Ahoy there landlubbers! Crumpsall Carnival celebrates its 11th year in style with a Caribbean pirate theme on Sunday 24 June.
The fun kicks off in Herristone Park at 12.30pm when the costumed festival parade, featuring a pirate ship and including a samba band, scouts, guides, cadets and local schoolchildren, sets off.
It will arrive in Crumpsall Park at 1pm when Lord Mayor of Manchester Councillor Glynn Evans will formally open the event, hosted by the Friends of Crumpsall Park in partnership with the City Council.
The park will be the venue for a host of entertainment including the Bloco Novo samba band on the main stage, judging of the fancy dress competition, winners of a talent contest hosted by Northern Air Radio, Smiley the Clown, dancers and more live music.
Other attractions includes a tea dance with the Crumpsall Concert Band, six-a-side football, tennis and boxing taster sessions and a funfair. Health and jobs information will also be available.
Councillor Mike Kane, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: "Crumpsall Carnival is an enjoyable family event which continues to grow in popularity. It’s a real community celebration with something for everyone. This year’s pirate theme promises a swashbucklingly good time for all!"
Chair of the Friends of Crumpsall Park, Tom Sogbetun, said: "The Crumpsall Carnival is an event for everyone to enjoy. It brings the whole community together once a year for this multi cultural carnival and encourages greater use of our park. It’s been going for more than a decade now and keeps getting bigger."
Crumpsall is one of Manchester’s oldest parks opened in the 1890s. It was one of the first to see the shift towards providing open space for leisure and sport. The11-acre park remains one of the most used in the city.
The carnival runs from 12noon-4.30pm at Crumpsall Park.

and the winner is ....

Chenelle Martine - seen here with Crumpsall Talent night host and Northern Air Radio Star Dave Beedie..

Chenelle was one of a number of entrants to perform her own material as well as opening her three song performance with a stunning Gladys Knight cover . The quality of all the performers [ pictured left with Dave ] was , as promised , superb and the judges had a really difficult time seperating out the top three and the overall winner . You can see some of the judges , including me on the left , in the photo above listening intently . My job was made even more difficult in that I had one of the entrants number one fan , her mother , sat right next to me . The Cleveland was heaving and provided a great venue for a great night . If you missed it then you can catch the top three when they perform live at Crumpsall Carnival on the afternoon of Sunday , June 24th . [ If you look carefully you might notice Dave is sitting in a NMGH wheelchair and has been spending more time of late listening to the radio so it was great to see him back on stage ] .Thanks too to Tom Sogbetun for the photos .