Parts of the Trafford Council’s A56 cycle lane are to be taken up as the scheme has led to traffic delays as vehicles levels have risen since the lockdown

The new proposal says the council, will seek to accommodate all users of the A56 from across Trafford and follows on from the council’s bold decision earlier this year, where one lane of the carriageway space used by vehicles was allocated to cyclists.

Temporary measures were put in place using £5m of emergency government funding made available to Greater Manchester Local Authorities, through the Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund. The pop-up cycle lanes enabled people to keep their distance for safe, essential journeys and exercise during the Coronavirus lockdown.

The walking and cycling infrastructure has provided a safe option of travel for many members of the public as an alternative to using public transport due to Covid-19. Statistics obtained from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have shown a considerable amount of growth in people opting to cycle rather than travel by car during the lockdown.

The average daily number of people using the pop-up cycle lanes has increased from 102 in June 2020, to 336 in August 2020. This is a 421 per cent increase of cycle journeys in comparison to figures from August 2018.

However, with the lockdown easing the cycle lanes are being reviewed due to the build-up of congestion. The level of comments about removing the temporary measures on the A56 have recently increased due to the rise in traffic volumes, children going back to school and people going back to work.

Cllr Steve Adshead, Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality and Climate Change at Trafford Council said:
We have been monitoring the success of the pop-up cycle lanes and have listened to what the community would like now that the lockdown has eased. Moving forward we will be looking closely at how the adjusted measures will ease congestion along the route while protecting the most vulnerable road users. This will help us move towards a place that we want future generations to be able to enjoy, while protecting the integrity of all road users.”

Temporary cones to be removed in the short term from Dane Road to the Chester Road Recycling Centre (Stretford Tip), with a realignment of the road layout to provide protection through this section (to be undertaken as soon as possible, subject to funding)

Upgrade to the existing temporary cones along the A56 to provide better cycling infrastructure from Chester Road Recycling Centre (Stretford Tip) to Talbot Road

Temporary cones to be removed through Gorse Hill along the A56, from Talbot Road to White City Circle, with a view of longer-term plans in the future

1 COMMENT

  1. What a load of nonsense. So why are they now putting down MORE cones of a green colour on the A56 and Talbot Road? Obviously those councillors who make these rules don’t live round here. At least we can kick them out after 4 years.

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