Six bids for funding for walking and cycling projects worth more than £6m have been submitted by Stockport Council.
It is looking for the cash from the second phase of the Department for Transport’s Emergency Active travel fund.
Last week, the council received funding to create a 3.3 km parallel route along the A6 from Heaton Chapel to the town centre as part of the first phase of the scheme.
Final details of the route will be confirmed shortly and published online.
With the second phase now open to bids, Stockport Council has submitted the following projects to Transport for Greater Manchester for consideration:
A34 Parallel Cycle Route
An ambitious scheme that will improve access to Cheadle village and Parrs Wood from Cheadle Hulme by using off road routes through Bruntwood and Brookfield Parks. New crossings will be installed where the route meets with busy roads and it will link into a number of schools along the route to encourage walking and cycling to school.
Historic Markets and Underbanks
This project proposes to expand the pedestrianised area around the Markets and Underbanks with the installation of timed automatic bollards to make sure that the public can shop and socialise in this area safely with protection from moving traffic.
Education Active Travel and School Streets
This programme includes a cycle loan scheme for school children to encourage them to try cycling to school. It also involves closing off minor roads to traffic close to school gates to prevent them becoming choked with school run traffic at the beginning and end of the school day.
Heaton Mersey Cycleway
This scheme will provide a sealed surface on the path from Station Road to Green Pastures to improve access in all weathers to the East Didsbury Metrolink stop.
Heaton Norris Active Neighbourhood
This scheme will include a pocket park on Belmont Street and an extensive traffic calmed 20mph zone in the Heaton Norris area north and south of Belmont Way.
Heatons A6 Parallel Cycle Route
This scheme is a permanent version of the proposal that has been in approved in phase 1. It will involve a 3.3km route from Heaton Chapel to Stockport town centre, with a new signal junction on Heaton Moor Road near Heaton Chapel station and changes to junction priority to allow uninterrupted cycling along the route.
David Meller, Stockport Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “We want to give people a viable option to get out and walk and use their bikes safely across Stockport.
“Our officers have had to work incredibly hard in a short period of time to produce these bids to show what we, as a borough, can do to encourage more journeys on foot and by bike.
“During this period, we’ve seen the benefits of cleaner air and less congestion on our roads. We believe these proposals will build on this and help create the ‘new normal’ we all want.”
The council will now wait for confirmation from Transport for Greater Manchester and the Department of Transport to see if funding has been approved before any work can take place. Successful bids will be subject to feedback before being implemented.
If approved, all work on the six projects will be completed by Spring 2021.