SALFORD UNVEILS £3 MILLION OF CYCLE AND WALKING PLANS TO CONNECT CITY

Salford City Council have invited local residents to have their say on plans for major new pedestrian and cycling routes in Salford, connecting Walkden, Worsley and Boothstown as well as providing access to RHS Garden Bridgewater along the Bridgewater canal.

The proposals for expanding the city’s off-road network will be on display at Worsley Library on Tuesday 21 January from 2pm to 7pm and Walkden Gateway centre on Thursday 23 January from 2pm to 7pm.

These detailed designs have been developed as part of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s £160 million Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund.  This aims to create the UK’s largest cycling and walking network across all 10 Greater Manchester authorities, benefiting 2.7 million people and making cycling and walking a real alternative to the car.

Developed in partnership with Salford City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Peel L&P and Worsley Park Marriott Hotel, the proposals will provide:

·    A traffic-free route along the north of the Bridgewater Canal linking Worsley and Boothstown to the RHS;

·    An enhanced north-south route from Walkden Station to the RHS, also linking to the A580 Guided Busway;

·    New pedestrian and cycle crossing facilities on the East Lancashire Road (A580), Leigh Road (A572), Walkden Road (A575), Barton Road (B5211) and Birch Road;

·    The route will also connect into the existing traffic-free network in Salford, including the Bridgewater Way, the Roe Green loopline and the Tyldesley loopline.Set to open in 2020, RHS Garden Bridgewater has been enabled by Salford City Council and Peel L&P.

Councillor Roger Jones, executive support member for transport, said:

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“We welcome people’s views, reactions and comments on these exciting plans for the city. They will offer local residents a real alternative to short car trips by connecting them to jobs, education and health facilities and local shops.

"It will also provide pedestrian and cycle access to the RHS Garden Bridgewater which will be a major visitor attraction providing another boost to Salford’s growth and the GM tourism industry. From new jobs, training, educational and volunteering opportunities, RHS Bridgewater will bring enormous economic, social, health, environmental and community benefits to the area.”

 

Residents’ views and comments will help support a full business case submission to the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to secure funding to implement the scheme. The more responses received the more weight this will have in terms of securing funding to implement the scheme. A decision is expected in summer 2020.