Hundreds of people turned up to attend a discussion chaired by Chris Boardman on multi-million pound plans for the UK's largest inner city walking and cycling route.
The Active Neighbourhood plans for Urmston, Greater Manchester got an £11.3 million funding boost earlier this month from Mayor Andy Burnham’s Walking and Cycling Challenge Fund.
The plan is to make Greater Manchester an easier place for people to get around on foot or by bike using more than 1,800 miles of routes that bosses hope will become the largest joined-up system of walking and cycling networks in the UK.
The event, held at The Venue in Urmston, on January 23 was packed out with nearly 500 people and some even were turned away at the door as Greater Manchester Walking and Cycling Commissioner Chris Boardman and Trafford Council’s Coun Kat Hynes addressed the room to discuss the plans in detail.
Chris Boardman wants to transform the Greater Manchester region by enhancing its cycle and walk routes through the Bee Network initiative.
The proposals are part of wider city-region plans that would link the area into what it is hoped will become the largest inner city walking and cycling route in the country.
Walking and cycling routes have also been proposed for Flixton, Davyhulme East and Davyhulme West as part of the scheme.
The plans aim to encourage those living nearby to use healthier and more sustainable transport options; particularly for shorter journeys.
As part of this week's event, virtual reality headsets were available to allow people to take a closer look at some of the ideas.
After the event, Chris Boardman said: “Blown away by the enthusiasm in Urmston for their first active neighbourhood consultation.
"The best bit is it’s theirs from start to finish. Well done to all involved, gives us huge motivation to get stuck in."
Councillor Dan Jerrome, Green Party councillor for Altrincham, said: “500 people attended and some were turned away.
“The appetite for creating safe streets for walking and cycling is massive. People know that we need to get out of our cars and can now start to see the ways to do it. Very exciting.”
Add new comment
8 comments
Netherlands with convenient, protected, segregated cycleways: 30%+ local journeys by bike. UK: 2%. A few people are happy to share the road with traffic; most aren't.
It's a great idea to allow local communities to take ownership of these projects. Boardman's Bee Network is about the only thing that makes me feel the country is headed in the right direction in 2020.
That's just what we need another load of unnecessary and over complicated cycle ways that do nothing except confuse everyone . How about people learn to ride their bikes , stop at a junction, go when it's clear ,don't go up the inside of large vehicles etc you know common fucking sense .
Sorry to hear you are confused by cycle routes. You must have had a really bad week, to be that grumpy. I hope things get better for you soon.
We have a cycle route where I live in Tottenham, it causes endless confusion and pedestrians are always walking in the so called cycling super highway lanes so many near accidents ,accidents and incidents . There is a perfectly good wide road which a lot of the cyclists use ,it's quicker they are safer and they don't have to join /ride on the pavement where pedestrians are walking to get back on then road . Not confused at all . Things would be simpler if you know how to ride a bike on the road . Perhaps you dont have the ability then I have advice for you learn to ride a bike or walk or take the bus etc . Then we could spend all this money on people who really need it, not morons who don't know when to stop and go .
,You know what mood I'm in and how my week went?have you been stalking me Seriously ,can you tell me how you know what mood im in ? Do you posses psychic powers ? Tell me what colour I'm thinking of ?
I always aim to get better , don't you ?
FTFY
It's a peculiar argument to say that because some so-called cycle infrastructure is poorly thought-out and confusing, it's a waste of money to put time into designing infrastructure that will be well-designed and work well.
Green - no yellow?
You don't have to use them if they're too confusing for you. Just think of them as routes that kids can cycle on safely, the elderly, those who aren't as confident at riding a bike as you. If one person can see a potentially safe route they can cycle on instead of driving each day, that's one person less in a car for you to worry about, surely?
How about kids learn to ride on the roads safely. I did when I was young growing up in Clapton hackney . I didn't need no special cycle paths to think for me . I used my common sense and so did all my friends who had bikes . This is a waste of time and money . Learn how to Handle and ride your bike safely, simple as that. Are kids these days to stupid to do what we did back in the day? Just as much traffic as well .