Manchester Local Greenpeace Group calls for a Green Recovery from the health crisis, including investment in local public transport, walking and cycling. 

Volunteers from the group spent the morning of Tuesday 7 July cycling round Greater Manchester putting the messages ‘less cars, more bikes‘, ‘more space for people‘ and ‘more walking‘ and on the road in chalk . Places visited included Chester Road in Old Trafford, where the ‘pop up’ cycle lane ends; Kingsway in Cheadle, where the cycle path merges with a six lane road; and Beech Road in Chorlton, where there are calls for pedestrianisation.

Student Melissa Parker said “We need a Green Recovery, including massive investment in walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure. Thanks to Chris Boardman, and all the local groups that have been campaigning on the issue, Greater Manchester has made tremendous progress in transforming the city. It is now much safer for pedestrians and cyclists, but we’d like to see the job finished. We want the ”pop up’ up’ cycle lanes to become permanent, and to continue through the city centre to link everything up. With more support from the central government, we can do this. That’s why Greenpeace activists have left this clear message in chalk – we need more space for people to walk and cycle safely in Greater Manchester, not £27 billion for new road building.”

Martin Porter added ‘”Working in a hospital during the Covid-19 crisis I’ve seen how important it is to have healthy lungs. I’ve also enjoyed the cleaner air in the city due to the reduced traffic. I don’t want a return to the ‘old normal’ of cars and air pollution. Instead, I want the Government to invest in clean, green transport so that people can cycle and walk more.”

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