A bridge to the future

16 Apr 2019 12:56

PLANS have been unveiled to spend £137.3million on cycling and walking projects in Greater Manchester - including an impressive new bridge linking bus and rail stations in Stockport.

The project will deliver a landmark new walking and cycling bridge spanning more than100m metres, providing a major new walking and cycling route linking the rail station, the new bus interchange and Mersey Square.

The project will also create a traffic-free public square with new crossings for people walking and cycling and secure cycle storage.

The Mayor’s Challenge Fund will contribute £9m and the remaining £48m will come from local contributions.

It is one of 42 projects representing the single biggest investment in cycling and walking ever announced in the city-region.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “This is a hugely exciting time for Greater Manchester – we’re just at the start of a process that will see us eventually compete with some of the world’s best and most liveable cities like Vancouver, Copenhagen and New York City.

“Greater Manchester’s people, along with the 10 districts, have made it pretty clear that enabling more local journeys to happen without cars as part of a wider public transport offer is what is required to support the city-region on so many fronts – congestion, air quality, creating healthier and more connected communities.”

Greater Manchester’s cycling and walking commissioner, Chris Boardman, added: “The 42 schemes that are now on the books are truly transformational.

“We’ll get a real bang for our buck here in terms of the positive knock-on benefits that will be made possible by this investment.”

Other projects in the pipeline include a £1.4m scheme to improve cycling and walking connectivity on the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road in communities including Heald Green, Stanley Green and Bramhall.

This includes a 1.4 mile shared walking and cycling path and three new crossings for people walking and cycling. The project will be funded by the Mayor’s Challenge Fund.

A £4.1m project will link Hazel Grove and Bramhall, providing more than two miles of new safe cycle route protected from traffic on the A5143 Jacksons Lane/Dean Lane.

And £0.7m is being earmarked for crossing improvements in Cheadle Hulme and Cheadle Heath, with £0.8m earmarked for a traffic-free cycling and walking path in the Ladybrook Valley linking Bramhall, Cheadle Hulme and Cheadle.

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