Anyone who has ever lived in London — or any of the big global cities — knows that life is governed by public transport maps. In particular, the fare zones become major markers in social and work life. To live in zones 1 or 2 is to live in (relative) heaven, but to be consigned to zone 4 (or in London, the distant orbit of zone 6) is sheer hell. Friends do not visit, and jobs are a tedious commute.

Now Manchester's status as a full-grown global city has been recognised by the city's transport authorities who have decreed that today's 17 different Metro tram fare zones should be reduced to zones 1 to 4.

The concentric zones approach is already familiar in Paris, Barcelona and many other cities, as well as London, City Metric reports. The new Manchester system is expected to come into operation in 2019 and it could have serious social and property implications as prices rise in zones judged desirable.

Zone 1 is the existing city centre including New Islington — which will please residential developers there; Zone 2 stretches as far out as Stretford, Chorlton and Newton Heath and is the recognisable inner city. Zone 3 includes Oldham, but Rochdale is in Zone 4.

"The fun thing will be to see if the new fare zones get tied up with matters of identity, as they have elsewhere," City Metric said.