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CLOSED: The Mancunian Way
CLOSED: The Mancunian Way

Bomb scare causes traffic chaos

Nicola Dowling
13/ 7/2005

A BOMB scare caused massive disruption to motorists today after a main route in and out of Manchester was closed.

Police and a bomb disposal squad were called just before the rush hour when security guards saw an abandoned suitcase in a car park on Oxford Road under the M57 Mancunian Way flyover.

Nearby Manchester Metropolitan University was evacuated as a precaution.

The short stretch of motorway goes from London Road near Piccadilly Station to the Chester Road roundabout and Regent Road, Salford.

It was closed shortly after 7am between the Cambridge Street roundabout in Hulme and Ashton Old Road.

Oxford Road was closed between Grosvenor Street and Whitworth Street.

Congestion

After a controlled explosion by bomb experts at 10.22am, it took some time for the congestion to clear because queues stretched back for miles.

At the Piccadilly station end of the motorway, police reported standing traffic as far back as the City of Manchester Stadium.

Oxford Road was also extremely busy with traffic trying to get into the city centre.

Among those facing delays were United Utilities engineers trying to get to Salford to fix a burst which left scores of homes near to Salford Cathedral off Salford Crescent without water during the scorching heat this morning.

Before the controlled explosion today police said they did not think the suitcase posed "a specific threat" but that it was being treated with caution in light of the bombings in London.

Were police right to close the Mancunian Way? Have your say.


| Submit CommentSubmit Comments | View CommentsView Comments(104)


Most recent 2 of 104 user comments

   Rob, chorlton, made the comment out of sarcasm i reckon, coz who in their right mind would say they shouldnt have closed it off? its a non-argument. stop wasting your time submitting comments for a story we all agree with was dealt with in the appropriate manner. i lived and worked in london but moved to manchester 6 months ago and had i still been working there i would have been on that train that went off at kings cross. lets stop getting all hot and bothered. it happened, it got dealt with. move on.
Jo, Manchester
19/07/2005 at 10:59

Offensive or Inappropriate?

   of course they were right to close it if in doubt and all that they have to act accordingly
cazzy, oldham
16/07/2005 at 09:09

Offensive or Inappropriate?

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