Two new pedestrian crossings for Little Hulton have been approved in response to residents’ and ward councillors’ concerns.
In the last eight years there have been several accidents along Cleggs Lane, four of them involving children as people use uncontrolled crossing points to reach local schools, shops, Cleggs Lane Medical Practice and local places of worship.
Now a new crossing is to be installed near the junction with Amblecote Drive West and another crossing, which is also suitable for cyclists, near the junction with Old Lane.
Councillor Mike McCusker, lead member for planning, said: “Research showed a lot of pedestrians in this area, particularly young children and older people and over 400 vehicles an hour during peak times turning into and out of Coniston Avenue onto Cleggs Lane. There was a positive response from the community for proposals for new crossings.
“Transport for Greater Manchester secured funding for the design work on crossings across Greater Manchester and we felt that this road in Little Hulton had to be a priority.
“The crossings will provide safe crossing points for the local community and encourage more short and local journeys by walking or cycling, which have huge benefits. They will also improve access to the Roe Green loopline as part of the Bee Network which is part of the Bee Network, the UK’s biggest walking and cycling network linked to public transport.”
The upgrades of the crossing points will see footpaths near the crossing widened, kerbs improved, resurfacing of the road and new Keep Clear red marking to help avoid vehicles blocking the junction when signals are on red. The work will start on Monday 7 August and will last for around 12 weeks.
Councillor Jack Youd, lead member for finance, support services and industrial relations added: “Work is expected to start this summer and the contractor, which is Real Living Wage accredited, will create work through the contract for someone who has been long-term unemployed and will spend more than £107,000 with local suppliers.
“They have also agreed to donate £1,000 worth of support for City of Trees and to support local voluntary organisations and will support local school or college site visits to help students learn about construction careers. This is all part of delivering social value in Salford and getting benefits for the city from every pound the council spends.”
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “Following collisions involving pedestrians along Cleggs Lane, I am very pleased to see the two new crossing points that Salford City Council have planned for this road.
“When I refreshed the active travel mission for Greater Manchester last year, two of the five priorities were to improve home to school travel via sustainable modes and to address road danger. More recently, it was also announced that the city-region was taking its first steps towards adopting Vision Zero next year.
“Crossings like these are able to support a number of different priorities with the most important being that they allow those walking, wheeling and cycling to remain safe on their short, local journeys.”
