Greater Manchester to recieve a new network of cycle routes

Greater Manchester to receive 55 miles of new cycle routes by December 2021. 

Funded by the Mayor’s Challenge Fund, Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham has announced that Greater Manchester will receive new cycle routes and 140 new crossings. 

All of Greater Manchester’s 10 districts will benefit from the routes.

Part of this development will be a £2.2m project known as the Bee Network which will see a series of new and upgraded crossings across the city, the first network is expected to be installed in Summer 2021. 

Around 25 miles of pop-up cycling and walking routes will also be delivered by next Spring, as well as two low-traffic neighbourhoods in Salford and Tameside. 

Andy Burnham said: ‘It’s been years in the making, but Greater Manchester’s cycling and walking revolution is finally starting.

‘To build the capability and scheme pipeline to deliver a new way of travel for a whole city region has taken us two years, but we are now ready to begin delivery.

‘By next summer we will begin to see the fruits of our labour and the region’s residents will finally have the chance to travel to shops and schools easily and safely without using a car. Today heralds the real start of our cycling and walking story, coincidentally aligning with bike to school week.’

Greater Manchester’s walking and cycling commissioner, Chris Boardman, added: ‘We started this mission nearly two years ago and I’m so pleased with the significant work Greater Manchester’s local authorities have been doing behind the scenes to get this monumental mission underway.

‘The Bee Network was a vision; now, having completed the planning, paperwork and many consultations, we are ready to start making it a reality.

‘It will create better places to live and work, give those with a car the option to leave it at home and for those who don’t, it will provide them with a reliable, safe and pleasant network to walk or ride to shops, schools and workplaces. This is the beginning of Greater Manchester’s twenty-first-century transport revolution.’

Photo Credit – Pixabay