Criminal cash to put cyclists on safe path

MONEY taken off criminals will be used to help make cyclists in Macclesfield safer - but all road users have been warned carriageways will become more dangerous.

The once ill-gotten gains will be given to bike club Macclesfield Wheelers to buy lights as well as cameras for members to record incidents of dangerous driving while out on the roads.

But less welcome news this week was Cheshire East Council saying cuts from central government in highways funding meant the decline in road surfaces was inevitable.

The club applied for the money after a number of members said their lives were being put at risk by unsafe driving in and around the town.

And the bid for cash from Cheshire’s community police fund was successful.

Richard Newstead, from Macclesfield Wheelers, said: “Cycling in Macclesfield on our roads is seen by many people with bikes as a dangerous activity.

“Our project seeks to yield an improvement in safety on our roads.”

The community police fund, run by Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane, uses money confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Mr Keane said: “Cycling has always been a popular pastime, but since the first lockdown started many people will have taken up cycling as a way to keep fit.

“Sadly, our roads are not always safe for cyclists and many are killed or injured in the UK every year. I want cyclists in Cheshire to feel safe on the roads and a big part of this is them having the right equipment to keep them safe.

“This scheme will better enable cyclists in the Macclesfield area to stay safe while they’re out doing what they love.”

The council say that the government has allocated Cheshire East

£13m highways maintenance funding for next financial year, which includes £5.7 million for potholes.

This represents a drop of nearly £4m, or 23 per cent, compared to

2020-21 and comes after funding was frozen for the four previous years.

Councillor Laura Crane, cabinet member for highways, said: “We can only do what is affordable based on available funding. This reduction will limit next year’s maintenance programme.

“Their (the government’s) announcement comes just six weeks ahead of the new financial year, so plans have already begun for works that we now find are unaffordable.”

Craig Browne, deputy leader of the council, said: “An assessment by our strategic highways team has shown that we need to be investing £27m each year, just to keep the roads in their current state.

“So, the outcome of the Department for Transport’s announcement, at £13 million, will inevitably be the further decline of our highways network.”

Report any road defects, including potholes, by calling 0300 123 5020.