Bringing Metrolink to Middleton declared council's 'number one' transport priority

straight to your inbox every day for freeManchester United need to sign a top-class striker like Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe in order to compete with the best sides in the Premier League, according to Alan Shearer.United managed just two shots on target in Saturday’s game against City as the two sides played out a dull 0-0 draw.

direct to your inboxDamage to overhead lines is causing 'severe' disruption on the Metrolink, with trams unable to stop at several stations.Trams are can not stop at St Peter’s Square, Cornbrook, Deansgate or Trafford Bar.It is unclear what caused the damage to overhead lines near Cornbrook station, but the disruption is expected to last for most of today.Such an incident on the day the Manchester derby will be played at Old Trafford would usually cause huge disruption.Get the latest updates

direct to your inboxA teenage care leaver was unable to get a job and had his life ‘put on hold’ after Manchester council failed to secure a passport for him.The council’s errors feature in a damning Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman report detailing how children had been ‘let down’ by those charged with looking after them.Manchester council has since paid the 18-year-old, known as Marcus, £1,600 for ‘avoidable distress’ after he missed out on three job opportunities and feared for his

direct to your inboxCouncil tax in Manchester could rise by almost five per cent next year as the council continues to grapple with the economic fallout from Covid-19.Town hall bosses say the move, which would be taken with ‘a heavy heart’, could raise £8.5m to prevent cuts to frontline services such as adult social care.The government is allowing local authorities to increase council tax by just under two per cent, plus an additional three per cent to meet social care demands.Manchester had

direct to your inboxThere has been a major response from emergency services this morning following a 'serious' crash involving a Metrolink tram and a van.The collision happened near the Ashton West tram stop at around 7.30 this morning.Pictures from the scene show police, fire and ambulance crews in attendance.A white van has suffered extensive damage after colliding with a tram travelling down Lord Sheldon Way.In a statement, Transport for Greater Manchester described the incident as a 'serious

direct to your inboxA furious row has erupted between Manchester Council and Diamond Bus company over the decision to pedestrianise a stretch of Deansgate earlier this year.A section between Blackfriars Street and King Street has been closed to traffic since May after the council said it would give people more space to return to businesses in the area following national lockdown.It is understood money was used from the government's £250m emergency Active Travel Fund set up to encourage more

direct to your inboxA restaurant in Crumpsall will be allowed to serve alcohol despite 'unfounded' claims that the premises attracts gang-related violence and drug dealing.The new licence applied for by Ryan's sought to sell alcohol from 11am to 9.30pm seven days a week prompted objections ahead of a licensing hearing.Manchester council licensing officers had been monitoring the Lansdowne Road establishment after allegedly finding customers eating and smoking inside in November during

What do you think about the mini markets? Have your say in the comments below Coun Pat Karney, Manchester’s Christmas spokesperson, said: "We know people were so disappointed to hear this year’s Christmas Markets could not go ahead. "Public safety must be at the heart of everything we do, and we could not put on our usual world-class event while keeping people safe. "Since then, we have been looking at ways of supporting the Christmas traders at an important time of year for their businesses,

forced a policy U-turn from Boris Johnson.

direct to your inboxTalks over the uncertain future of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) will continue, despite Stockport councillors voting against the proposals.Opposition groups argued that the long-delayed masterplan for jobs and housing favoured the needs of developers over residents, and would lead to unnecessary green belt development.Labour had hoped that by removing or scaling down schemes planned up to 2037, that it could appease Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, and the

A Manchester city centre bar has lost its appeal against a decision to revoke its licence after operating as a nightclub during lockdown.Mahiki was found to be in breach of government guidance on several occasions in the weeks after rules on reopening bars were relaxed in July.The decision taken in September to strip the bar of its licence was subject to an appeal by Adam Karim, the licence holder and designated premises supervisor (DPS).But neither Mr Karim or his solicitor turned up to a

Manchester Evening News, Mark said his grandmother accidentally dropped a piece of tissue as she tried to get her keys from her handbag.The council say it was 'deliberate'.Margaret was told the fine would increase to £100 if she didn't pay it within two weeks.That's the same amount as her weekly state pension, which she says she needs to cover her bills buy food."We were just walking to the shop on Monday at about 12pm, it was a residential road, not a very busy main road," Mark said."I was

straight to your inbox every day for freeThere will be a fair few Manchester United fans who have been forced to eat their words in recent weeks.Not because they're locked down in Tier 3 and have run out of all their essential sustenance; but because of the recruitment of a player who was himself widely deemed non-essential in the summer transfer window.Hindsight is a wonderful thing in football reporting, but there can be no disguising the fact United were widely mocked for their decision to

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Manchester council has thrown its weight behind the beleaguered regional masterplan for jobs and housing - despite uncertainty over its future.With no end in sight to the political standoff in Stockport, plans to approve the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) have been postponed in Salford, Trafford, Oldham, Rochdale and Bury.Councillors in Manchester were told this week that there was a ‘very high risk’ that the GMSF would not get the support it needed.Under the proposals the city

Rishi Sunak, the calling for support to ‘bridging the funding gap’ for green spaces.

national lockdown is lifted. The whole of Greater Manchester will be placed in the 'very high' alert level, meaning that hospitality will remain closed, alongside other entertainment venues such as play areas and cinemas.

Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here.

Mancunians who have lost loved ones to Covid-19 will be given a place to help them remember and deal with their trauma 'when circumstances allow', the city’s leader has said.More than 55,000 people have died from the virus since March - with people in Manchester accounting for over 540 deaths.Sir Richard Leese said it was 'absolutely vital' to provide a space where those affected could remember and deal with their loss, though it remains unclear what form it could take.The leader of Manchester

The total number of coronavirus deaths at hospital trusts in Greater Manchester, as of Thursday November 19 are:Nationally a further 316 people who tested positive for the Coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 38,112.Patients were aged between 28 and 102 years old. All except five (aged 64-96) had known underlying health conditions.Date of death ranges from 3 June to 20 November 2020.