Litter, buses and traffic pollution are just some of the issues voters want action on in the new Salford ward of Blackfriars and Trinity.

The ward which covers the Chapel Street area was created for the 2021 local elections after council boundary changes and a rapid rise in population in the area closest to Manchester city centre which has seen extensive housing development.

We asked voters what issues concern them most in the run-up to elections for the city’s Mayor and councillors on Thursday May 6.

Blackfriars and Trinity is a new ward for the 2021 elections and was previously part of Ordsall, a Labour ward (credit: Joe Hough)

Blackfriars and Trinity has seen by far the largest population increase in Salford over the past 10 years, with an increase of 46 per cent taking its population to 10,890 as of 2019. 

Nearly 5,000 of Blackfriars and Trinity residents are between the ages of 20 and 29.

One of that growing population was concerned in our poll that development of shops, restaurants and other infrastructure was lagging behind.

Chapel Street, home to St. Phillips, Salford Cathedral and one of the main routes into Manchester, is a part of the new Blackfriars and Trinity ward (credit: Archie Richards)

Developments have also left the area with very little open space. The 2019 Open Greenspace Ordnance Survey found that just 0.1 per cent of Blackfriars and Trinity is occupied by green spaces such as parks and sports facilities that are accessible to the public and most of that is religious grounds – namely St Philip’s, Chapel Street, and Salford Cathedral. Just 0.37 hectares are actual playing fields.

As this ward is a new introduction for this year’s elections, there is no previous data regarding any election turnouts or councillors.

Data and information on the new ward can be found on the council website. 

Voting for this year’s local elections will be held on Thursday May 6 and you can find your local polling station here.

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