Traders on Manchester's Curry Mile say they are fed up with a 'chaotic' mix of parking problems, woeful traffic controls and cycle lanes. Business owners on the famous stretch of Wilmslow Road in Rusholme are pleading for something to be done.
It is a vicious cycle of issues, they say. Drivers ignoring parking restrictions cause bus delays and block cycle lanes. That exacerbates congestion, further impacting business. Restaurants and cafes are suffering, they say, as are neighbours on surrounding residential streets.
Illegal parking and weekend pressures
Illegal parking is a major issue, people living and working in the area told the Manchester Evening News. Things are particularly bad at the weekend, it is claimed, as later opening times attract more customers.
With Diwali approaching next month, one of the busiest times of the year in the area, there are real concerns there could be traffic chaos.
Abdul Khan, from YumYo takeaway, said: "Delivery drivers are the worst affected in this mess. They hardly get space to park their cars or bikes and rush the order."
"Families need to travel to the town centre sometimes to park and walk all the way here. Some people completely avoid the Mile because of the sheer chaos and constant parking tickets being imposed."
Traders describe congestion and safety fears
Alvira from Nirala Sweets said she sometimes parks a 50-minute walk away to allow more space for customers on Sundays. She urged the council to take action.
Alvira added: "The cyclists cause the most chaos and disturbance. Even during the day, pedestrians can barely walk and this year during Eid we nearly had two accidents simply due to road congestion."
"The cycle lane is very narrow and then there are delivery drivers queuing up along with customers wanting a quick takeaway because they simply cannot find a spot and even if they do, there is an instant £5 to £10 parking [charge] imposed."
Taiyyab Ali, from Delhi Sweet Centre, said: "Customers can barely find the time to find a parking spot in the chaos. They park their car right outside and often stop to get a takeaway box. That itself leads to congestion - and there's incessant honking."
"During Eid or Diwali, people are rushing to relatives' houses and do not have time to waste. Delivery drivers are also always in a hurry because of the sheer number of cars that have been idly parked outside."
"There needs to be better traffic control and some form of council intervention at this point. Parking permits are not a feasible solution."
Council response and existing scheme
The council implemented the Rusholme and Moss Side parking scheme in 2024. It allows residents to park only on certain streets and between certain hours. A permit does not allow parking on the double or single yellow lines on either side.
Manchester council says the scheme was brought in to give residents easier access to spaces - and to discourage all-day commuter parking - while still allowing businesses attract customers.
Awais Zaffar Khan has worked at My Karak Chai for the last year and lives across the road on Schuster Lane. He doesn't think the long cycle lane impacts business, but says that could change on festival days. He says it is too early to tell.
Awais added: "Usually the bicycle lane does not really affect the business or the customers, but on festival days I have seen fathers rush out to rearrange or re-park the car, or even get into brawls with cyclists, and similarly cyclists have met with accidents. There is very little pavement to even walk on, and small children often get in the way."
"I live off just the main road on Schuster Lane and there have been nights after my closing shift that I have heard honking and verbal arguments, especially around the time when drunk college students come in to eat and coincidentally park their bikes at odd places."
"I don't really know what Diwali will bring in for the shop or the area but Eid was definitely a learning curve."
Wilmslow Road's cycleway links Didsbury, Withington, Fallowfield and Rusholme to Manchester city centre, with bus stop bypasses and car parking bays along the route. It is an extremely busy stretch for commuters as well as punters for the plethora of venues in the area.
Census figures suggest many of those families will be driving in from elsewhere. Of the roughly 4,790 households in Rusholme ward, 2,110 had no car or van at the 2023 census, according to Manchester council. That is around 44 per cent, compared with about 27 per cent across Greater Manchester.
A Manchester council spokesperson said: "We are aware of traders' concerns about traffic issues on Wilmslow Road and we are looking into longer-term solutions to address these. We will also look at specific arrangements around Diwali."
"Our parking officers proactively enforce against illegal parking on Wilmslow Road, every day late into the evening, to prevent unnecessary blockages and support safety for all road users."
