Council urged to change gear on cycle lanes
BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN CALLS FOR POP-UP SAFE ZONES TO BE INTRODUCED
BILLBOARDS have appeared along major roads in Manchester urging the council to provide popup bicycle lanes across the city.
Campaigners, residents and politicians have been rallying against the council’s resistance to temporary infrastructure for several weeks.
Last weekend the protest group A6 Cycle Action lined the pavements in a socially-distanced chain of people and bikes, while Extinction Rebellion created their own cycle lane on the A56 earlier in the week.
Digital signs have now appeared at busy junctions of both roads reading ‘Manchester City Council, create more bike lanes, make cycling safer.’
The billboards form part of the national #BikeIsBest campaign to promote cycling and maintain the boost in popularity gained during the coronavirus pandemic.
Major brands, retailers and organisations, including British Cycling, have backed the campaign, which is being organised by communications firm Fusion Media and its founder Adam Tranter.
Mr Tranter, who also promotes the benefits of cycling as Coventry’s ‘bicycle mayor,’ said: “Manchester is a city I’ve visited and worked in a lot over the years.
“Through the work of the Greater Manchester combined authority and Chris Boardman, I think it can be the blueprint for the country’s approach to cycling.
“Therefore it is essential for Manchester to get this right, but what we’ve had from the council so far is mixed messaging and inaction.”
Manchester council has been progressive in some aspects, says Mr Tranter, who praised the city for being the first to have the first ‘cyclops’ junction in the UK.
Standing for cycle optimised protected signals, it allows cyclists and pedestrians to access part of the 20 proposed £13.4m cycleway connecting Chorlton to the city centre.
But Mr Tranter says he has been ‘alarmed’ by the council missing an opportunity to provide more temporary measures to get people on their bikes. He added: “It’s been really disappointing to see the council’s lack of clarity and action over temporary pop-up lanes, particularly when their own data points to an 80 per cent increase in cycling from when lockdown started.
“In many ways, Greater Manchester is leading the way but we have a unique opportunity to meet demand and change travel habits now.”
Coun Angeliki Stogia, executive member for environment, planning and transport for Manchester council, hoped that Mr Tranter would join with the city’s calls for government to provide long-term investment to encourage the shift from vehicles to walking or cycling.
“I am pleased that Coventry has taken an interest in Manchester’s walking and cycling network plan,” she said. “We’re happy to share our sustainable vision for active travel in the city, as well as the projects past, current and future that we are delivering which will continue to improve Manchester’s cycling and walking infrastructure with interested representatives of any other city.”