Community action to combat climate change has never been more important. On Sunday 2 October Ardwick Climate Action in partnership with Manchester City Council and The University of Manchester is closing the A6 in order to raise awareness of some alarming facts including:

• Pollutants known to cause bronchitis, asthma and can contribute to cancer exceed WHO Guidelines in Ardwick and other Manchester boroughs.
• Manchester’s overall Covid death rate was 25% higher than the rest of the UK, with Prof Sir Michael Marmot citing ‘environmental factors’ as a contributor.
• The local community considers minority groups were disproportionately affected in contracting COVID-19.

Running through the Adrwick in Manchester, traffic on the A6 creates one of the most polluted environments for its surrounding population. The residents of the borough see little to no action taking place to try and combat pollution that adversely affects the health of its residents. Unfortunately, this issue is not specific solely to Ardwick but affects many cities globally.

On Sunday 2 October, the University will be monitoring pollution levels on the A6 when closed and comparing the data with data taken from days with average flows of traffic throughout the year.

Invitees to the event include: Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester; Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central; Tracy Hawkins, Lead Manchester City Council Environment Councillor and Your Home Better Manchester.

The event is hosting over 15 partners with activities on the day to educate about climate issues. Ardwick Climate Action is also re-wilding parts of Ardwick through various initiatives that include tree and native hedge planting, use of bee-friendly plants and nature trails and activities to promote youth engagement.

• For more information please contact Daniell Musaheb