Stretford Cycleway open for business as part of a £42 million region-wide cycling investment programme

Stretford Cycleway has now been completed, meaning people travelling on bikes in Trafford can enjoy safer journeys away from traffic in a segregated bike lane. The 3.2km cycleway, which runs up Stretford Road and Talbot Road includes segregated cycle lanes, improved crossings, new cycle markings, carriageway surfacing and bus stop and parking bay bypasses – providing more space and protection for people travelling by bike.

Cyclists in Trafford can look forward to safer journeys away from traffic following the opening of a new £1.34M Dutch-style segregated bike lane.  

The completion of Stretford Cycleway not only opens up the opportunity for safer cycling to people across the area, it also marks a £42m investment into cycling across Greater Manchester as a whole.

The 3.2km cycleway, which runs up Stretford Road and Talbot Road includes segregated cycle lanes, improved crossings, new cycle markings, carriageway surfacing and bus stop and parking bay bypasses - providing more space and protection for people travelling by bike.

Chris Boardman said, “This is another great example of new, safe cycling infrastructure being delivered in Greater Manchester to encourage and empower people to get out of their cars and feel more comfortable making every day journeys by bike or on foot.

“It marks a real step forward in terms of where we want to be, and more people on bikes will help to tackle both air pollution and congestion.

“But it is only the start, we will now be looking carefully at the junctions the scheme runs through to build on what has been delivered and ensure this route is integrated into the wider Bee Network, meeting our high standards and getting a full seal of approval.”

The final section of the scheme to be completed was the key West Point junction, where Talbot Road, Chester Road and Stretford Road all meet. This now has a dedicated cycle phase, with mini traffic lights that will boost safety by separating people on bikes from motor vehicles as they enter the junction travelling towards the city centre.

Cllr Stephen Adshead, Executive member for Environment, Air Quality and Climate Change at Trafford Council said: “It’s great to see this new cycleway up and running for the people of Trafford and further afield, helping them to include more active travel in their daily routines, whether that’s walking or cycling the school run, a quick trip to the shops or as part of their commute to work.

“We’re keen to keep momentum going and develop more infrastructure to encourage active travel for our residents and this is only the start.”

The segregation has been created using innovative ‘Wand Orcas’; a combination of vertical wands with reflective markings and horizontal modules made from recycled rubber to offer further protection of cyclists from other road traffic.

The Stretford Cycleway improvements were made possible by funding from national government’s CCAG (Cycle City Ambition Grant) fund. The funding was split into two phases, the first worth £20 million of investment over 49 schemes. The second phase, worth £22 million, has now reached completion, delivering a further seven projects across Greater Manchester boroughs.

Overall, the projects received £42 million of investment into new infrastructure, including a flagship cycling and walking corridor on Manchester’s Oxford Road and Wilmslow Road, plus new and improved cycle routes across the region, as well as five new cycle-friendly district centres. It has also involved ten schools which have benefiting from the Cycle Schools and Colleges project which included funding for secure bike parking. 

Some of the CCAG project highlights include:

Oxford Road and Wilmslow Cycleway - With cycle lanes from Fallowfield to Oxford Street physically separated from motor traffic by kerbing, this route is Greater Manchester’s longest ‘segregated’ cycleway.

This high quality infrastructure, part-funded by the CCAG fund has proved incredibly popular with GM’s student population, with the ‘totem pole’ cycle counters recording an impressive 5,000 two-way cycle journeys in one single day.

In its first year, over one million journeys were made on the cycleway, with those numbers set to be matched for 2019.   

Guide Bridge Ramp – A new ramp, from Guide Lane down to the towpath that runs alongside the canal, has created a safe access point to the waterside that is suitable for walkers, cyclists, boaters, wheelchair users and people walking with buggies. 

The canal is in a cutting and all of the existing access points were previously hard to find. This project has provided a gentle ramp right outside the door of the railway station. This connects the Ashton canal towpath route past the National Cycling Centre and on to Manchester city centre.

Port Salford Greenway – This 3.2km traffic-free shared cycle and pedestrian route links the Bridgewater Way in Worsley with Winton and Patricroft and provides a safe and pleasant way for local communities to reach local sports clubs, green spaces and schools.

Hopwood Hall Cycleway, Rochdale – This project to provide a high quality cycle link running between Stakehill Industrial Estate and M62 junction 19 is nearing completion. The 3km route includes 1km of cycle lane defenders at regular intervals along Hollin Lane, keeping cyclists separate from vehicles on much of the busy link from Middleton to the M62, junction 19 roundabout. A new toucan crossing has also been installed on Hollin Lane linking the segregated cycle lane to the off-road route through Hopwood Woods, passing by local schools.

Saddle Junction, Wigan - The new £2.1m scheme, now has a network of cycleways and crossing points, which are completely separated from six lanes of motor traffic. The new routes provide safer and more convenient cycling and walking facilities to and through Saddle junction, linking Marsh Green, Kitt Green and Newtown with Robin Park and Wigan town centre. A 0.6 mile cycleway along Robin Park Road, from Saddle junction to Hunter Road, is separated from the pedestrian footpath by a kerb and protects both walkers and cyclists from motor traffic. New pedestrian and cycle crossings have also been installed along the route.

The completion of these projects cements Greater Manchester’s commitment to improving the cycling and walking infrastructure across the city-region, making it easier and safer for people to get around actively.

To find out more about the future plans for cycling and walking in Greater Manchester, visit www.tfgm.com/bee.