Cycling chief takes Bee road to 1,000-mile cycle network
CITY cycling czar Chris Boardman has unveiled plans for 1,000 miles of interlinked bike and walking lanes across Greater Manchester.
Dubbed ‘Beelines,’ the 10-year, £1.5bn proposal includes 75 miles of segregated cycle lanes similar to those found in Holland and Denmark.
And, if the bold scheme comes to fruition in its entirety, it will be the biggest network of its kind in the UK by 2028 – but major changes could be seen much sooner.
Each of the 10 authorities is to get major work on its busiest roads to make cycling and walking a safe option.
The rest of the network will be made up of existing, quieter roads, to be linked by 1,400 new safe crossings.
Routes, highlighted in a signature yellow, will be marked with a ‘worker bee’ symbol.
There will also be ‘filtered neighbourhoods,’ where priority is given to the movement of people over cars and there are spaces to sit, play and socialise.
The goal is to connect every community, making cycling and walking safe for ‘every 12-year-old’ and offer an alternative to driving for thousands of people across the city region.
Speaking on Oxford Road, already home to ‘Dutch-style’ cycle and bus lanes, Olympian Mr Boardman said: “It’s not really about people using bikes and walking; it’s about making better places to live and work by giving normal people a real choice about how they travel.”
Mr Boardman, who was enlisted by Andy Burnham, Greater Manchester mayor, to work up the masterplan, added: “In doing so, we will make the city region healthier and more prosperous. We have seen from other global cities that these methods work and the benefits are there for all to see, we simply can’t afford to be left behind. So now the hard work begins and we will be working closely with all of Greater Manchester’s local authorities to deliver this plan as urgently as possible.”
Mr Boardman says ‘a huge chunk’ of his plan could be completed within two years.
●●WHAT ARE BEELINES?
Routes connecting communities across Greater Manchester.
They will be made up of a combination of segregated routes for pedestrians and cyclists as well as crossings to connect existing quieter roads.
●●BEELINES ON QUIETER STREETS
Zebra crossings to slow down vehicles and prioritise pedestrians and cyclists
‘Filtered neighbourhoods’ where people can walk or cycle but vehicles are not allowed throughaccess
●●BEELINES ON BUSIER ROADS:
Full and light segregation for cyclists
Continuous footways and side road zebra crossings for pedestrians
‘High quality’ junction adaptations to make cycling and walking safe.
Crossing points including zebra crossings, signalcontrolled junctions, toucan crossings and priority crossings. ●●THE PLAN ALSO FEATURES:
Routes marked with the ‘worker bee’ symbol and signature yellow to help people find their way
Numbered ‘decision points’ where two or more beelines meet, helping people plan their journeys
Signs showing the next destinations and how long it will take to get there More bike parking Longer term a ‘Beeline’ app to help people plan their trips.
The first list of routes and crossing points, to be delivered in this financial year, will be published at the end of next month.
All 10 local authorities are now working with GMCA and TfGM to identify the sites where work can start rapidly.
●●HOW WILL IT BE FUNDED?
So far, Andy Burnham has allocated £160m from a government grant to the scheme, which is subject to approval by Greater Manchester Combined Authority on Friday. This could be boosted to £250m by cash contributions from the district councils.
This will bring the perhead cycling and walking spend to £15 a year – similar to levels seen in Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
It’s not yet been confirmed where the rest of the cash will come from and ‘funding streams being identified.’
Mr Boardman said the project was value for money, adding: “If you look at what roads cost this is good value for money. It’s the only kind of infrastructure that pays off properly.
“If you invest in cycling infrastructure it pays back at £5.50 for every £1 you spend.”
He said there was potential to tie in funding to health grants, suggesting GPs may start prescribing active travel as a solution to some health problems.
●●IS THIS THE FINAL PLAN?
were
Far from it. Planners, engineers and residents from each district have contributed to the first draft of the proposal.
But Mr Boardman is clear the scheme will evolve based on public opinion – to ‘get the outcome they need, not what we think they need.’
You can see the plans at mappinggm.org.uk
●●WHERE DO DRIVERS STAND IN ALL THIS?
Mr Boardman says we need to stop segregating drivers and cyclists, adding: “They are just people getting around by different methods. I’ve got two cars and I drive 25,000 miles a year, although I’d love not to.
“I hate driving into Manchester from the Wirral but the train is too unreliable at the moment and public transport is a big part of this.”
He said the proposal was about giving people a choice not to have to drive by changing the space people live in.
●●WHY DO WE NEED THIS IN GREATER MANCHESTER?
Around 250m car journeys of less than 1km are made every year in Greater Manchester, many of them school runs.
That distance could be travelled in 15 minutes walking or five minutes on a bike. In the Netherlands, half of all children cycle to school every day, compared to 2pc here.
●●WHAT DOES THE MAYOR SAY?
Heralding the plan as ‘bold,’ Andy Burnham said: “If we are to cut congestion and clean up our air, decisive action is needed.
“I want to make Greater Manchester one of the top ten places in the world to live and it is action of this sort which will help to deliver that promise.”
●●WHAT DOES THE GOVERNMENT SAY?
Jessie Norman, Cycling Minister, said Manchester was setting a ‘fantastic example,’ adding: “I commend Chris Boardman and his team for their energy and focus in making it happen.
“This is a really exciting plan to encourage more people to cycle and walk. But at the same time it will improve air quality, reduce congestion and improve health, by giving local people real alternatives to driving.
“Greater Manchester is already a great place to live, but this initiative will make it even better. I hugely look forward to seeing how this work progresses.”