Biggest boost ever for cycling

One million cycling trips a week are now being made across Greater Manchester, 34 per cent more than before lockdown.

Cycling and walking are great ways to get around for work or pleasure. As well as keeping you fit and healthy, both are good for the environment and help reduce congestion on Salford’s roads. That’s why, even before the pandemic, Salford City Council was investing in walking and cycling improvements. Now it’s even more important we have safe, green and sustainable ways to travel.

£1.5 million investment

Salford City Council has secured over £1.5 million this year from the Greater Manchester Mayor and the government to boost cycling and walking in the city and help people maintain safe distances when travelling around. The money is for changing road layouts to create more space for cycling and safer streets, removing barriers to safe travel and improving signage. Temporary pop up cycle lanes have already been created at Blackfriars Street and Liverpool Street and more work will be done to keep cyclists and traffic apart. The same will happen at Oldfield Road and part of Chapel Street. Measures have also been put in place in Trinity and Islington to reduce rat running traffic. For more information please visit www.salford.gov.uk/activetravel

Thanks for your comments on #safestreetssavelives

Earlier this year the council asked for your ideas on how to make walking and cycling safer in Salford. An amazing 4,500 comments were posted to the Commonplace consultation website. Council officers are working through them to draw up a programme of work but have already carried out some of your suggestions. Obstacles and barriers such as overgrown vegetation have been removed at 12 locations across the city and work is continuing. An extra two kilometres of walking and cycling routes have been added including Irwell Street, Blackfriars Street and Liverpool Street and more are planned. And 250 ‘keep your distance’ signs are now in place across Salford to remind everyone of the COVID-19 safety measures. For more information on the plans and progress and to have your say on schemes please visit https://salford.commonplace.is

Free adult cycle training

Free training is available for people who have never cycled before or have had a break from riding as well as those who want to feel more confident on the roads.

The three-hour sessions are tailored to individual needs and are for one to three people.

Based on your experience and what you want to get out of cycling, it covers everything from how to ride a bike for beginners to how to manage junctions and roundabouts and route planning for more experienced riders. Sessions will also cover basic bike maintenance and Kieren De'ath, cycle instructor detecting and fixing common problems. Training takes place close to your home and starts in parks or off-road cycleways to build confidence. Most are daytime but please ask if you would prefer an evening session. The sessions are run by Salford City Council’s Bikeability team which normally works in schools. High visibility jackets will be provided but participants must have a bike and helmet.

For more information please contact kieren.death@salford.gov.uk.

Take a virtual ride @SalfordHealthImprovement post virtual rides on Facebook each week. Great for route ideas!

Help improve Trinity Way

Running from its junction with Regent Road, past Middlewood Locks and Chapel Street, through Blackfriars and Greengate and on to Cheetham Hill, Trinity Way is one of Salford’s busiest roads. The area around it has seen huge private and public sector investment and development recently, particularly in new homes. Salford City Council is preparing to bid for funds to create a safer crossing point at the junction of Trinity Way and Springfield Lane to give easier access to public transport and Manchester city centre. The aim is to install a separate cycling and walking route across the junction. It would be controlled by traffic signals, keep cyclists clear of cars and allow bike riders and pedestrians to cross the junction quickly and safely. It’s known as a CYCLOPS design, (from a CYCLe orbital route, Optimised safety, Protected cycling and walking routes and Signals to manage it) and will be the first of its kind in Salford. Your comments and support will help strengthen the case for funding to enable it to go ahead. Please have your say before Friday 4 September at trinitywayspringfieldlanejunctionimprovement.commonplace.is