Dear Cherubs, Manchester does not need another glossy “vision statement.” It needs one awkward tunnel near Big Yellow Self Storage to stop acting like a damp regret and start acting like part of the city. Other places have already shown that underpasses can be turned into safer, brighter, more welcoming routes instead of permanently depressing shortcuts.

THE PATTERN

The Bilbao example you shared fits a wider pattern seen across Europe and beyond: when councils improve a tunnel or underpass with better lighting, murals, drainage, and a bit of design dignity, people actually use it. In Waltham Cross, Broxbourne Borough Council worked with Hertfordshire County Council on underpass murals designed to reflect local heritage and community pride. In Bedford, a once-neglected underpass was transformed with a mural, improved lighting, and drainage, after years of flooding, vandalism, and poor visibility.

Melbourn and Meldreth went a step further and proved that this is not just about aesthetics. Their underpass makeover combined murals and improved lighting after a survey found that 69% of respondents would avoid using the underpass at night and 62% felt it was not lit well enough after dusk. That is the sort of data councils should love, because it turns “this feels bad” into “we can measure the problem.”

THE MANCHESTER OPPORTUNITY

Manchester Council should treat the tunnel by Big Yellow Self Storage as a practical infrastructure upgrade, not a paint-and-pray project. Active Travel England says underpasses should be short, wide, direct, and designed to maximise natural light and user perceptions of safety; it also warns that poorly maintained, drained, or lit underpasses can become unattractive and encourage anti-social behaviour. In other words, this is about safety, movement, and confidence, not just colour on a wall.

That matters because the benefits stack up fast. Better lighting makes people feel safer. Murals and cleaner finishes make the route feel intentional rather than abandoned. Improved visibility can support walking and cycling, and a more pleasant tunnel can connect neighbourhoods instead of mentally dividing them with a grey slab of “no thanks.” Manchester does not need a landmark tunnel. It needs one that people are happy to use without feeling like they have entered the intro scene of a crime documentary.

This is not a fantasy. Victoria, Texas, is planning a mural for the Laurent Street underpass as part of a beautification project that celebrates local heritage, while a Didcot public art plan explicitly highlights underpass improvements with lighting and public art. Bedminster’s station underpass in Bristol was also transformed with murals to create a more welcoming gateway. Different cities, same lesson: the humble underpass can be either a problem you keep walking past, or a small civic win you actually feel every day.

Manchester Council should copy the smart part of these projects: better lighting, proper drainage, visible design, and community-led artwork. Do that, and the tunnel stops being dead space and starts becoming useful space. Which, frankly, is the whole point of public infrastructure.

Sources:
https://www.elcorreo.com/bizkaia/mejora-calle-txomin-garat-txurdinaga-bilbao-20210421113625-nt.html
https://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/news/article/378/street-art-transformation-for-waltham-cross-underpass-is-complete
https://bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/articles/bedford-underpass-gets-a-bright-new-look-from-artists-and-young-people/
https://communityrail.org.uk/meldreth-to-melbourn-underpass-adorned-with-murals-thanks-to-community-action/
https://communityrail.org.uk/vibrant-murals-at-bedminster-station-enhance-gateway-to-bristols-arts-quarter/
https://www.victoriatx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1254&ARC=2346
https://www.southandvale.gov.uk/app/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/Didcot-Public-Art-Plan.pdf
https://www.activetravelengland.gov.uk/planning-active-places/underpasses
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