New cycling and walking plan offers traffic-free future vision
PEDESTRIANISATION THE CHIEF FEATURE OF A FRESH ROUTE WHICH WOULD LINK STATIONS
A VISION of a traffic-free Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter has been revealed as part of a series of new cycling and walking project proposals.
The artist’s impression image shows open-air dining and drinking, with tree-lined pavements around a square, small market stalls and outdoor coffee bars.
A host of public realm improvements are being promised as part of a new cycling and walking route between Manchester Piccadilly railway station and Victoria – cutting through the heart of the Northern Quarter.
And as the Stevenson Square blueprint shows, pedestrianisation would be a major feature, although there’s no sign of the ever-changing graffiti wall.
The plans are, of course, due to be opened up for consultation.
The Piccadilly to Victoria route to link the two stations is set to cost an estimated £11.6m.
Civic chiefs said the new route would enhance the ‘on-foot and bybike experience’ for pedestrians and cyclists, although the exact route planned hasn’t been revealed as yet. Further details are expected.
Eighteen new cycling and walking schemes - with a total value of £137m - were announced by Transport for Greater Manchester, mayor Andy Burnham and cycling tsar Chris Boardman, with all of them set to be considered by Greater Manchester Combined Authority next week as part of Greater Manchester’s £1.5bn ‘Bee Network’ scheme.
The scheme aims to launch a fully joined-up cycling and walking network across the city region.
The 18 latest schemes to be announced would bring the total value of cycling and walking-related projects across Greater Manchester to around £204m.
And if approved, they would take the number of endorsed schemes so far to 42, covering 319 new and upgraded crossings and junctions as well as 70 miles of new cycling and walking routes.
These will include 14 miles of Dutch-style cycle lanes protected from traffic.
The plans also include a spectacular new walking and cycling bridge to link Stockport’s train station with its new bus interchange and Mersey Square, spanning 100 metres and boasting a futuristic arch.
Coming in with a £57m price tag, the Stockport proposal is by far the most costly of the £137m package of new schemes to be considered by Mr Burnham and local leaders next week.
And in another major project, the existing old subways at the Mancunian Way’s junction with Princess Road would be demolished to make way for protected cycle lanes and footpaths. It would see a full junction upgrade where the flyover meets busy Princess Road. There are also plans to limit vehicles on streets in Levenshulme, a cycle link between Castleton and Rochdale centre, the joining of Salford Quays and Manchester city centre and a traffic-free route between Salford and Trafford Park. Mr Burnham said: “We’re just at the start of a process that will see us eventually compete with some of the world’s best and most liveable cities like Vancouver, Copenhagen and New York City. “Greater Manchester’s people, along with the 10 districts, have made it pretty clear that enabling more local journeys to happen without cars as part of a wider public transport offer is what is required to support the city-region on so many fronts - congestion, air quality, and creating healthier and more connected communities.” An independent research project is also being proposed to investigate using European-style zebra crossings on more roads across the region, forcing drivers to give way to pedestrians.