Residents fear Quays roadworks ‘disruption’
PLANS have been revealed for new cycle lanes in Salford Quays - but residents fear two-year long roadworks could cause “enormous disruption”.
Salford Council is consulting on plans to revamp the road system around Trafford Road to make it more cycle-friendly.
Images shared at consultation events show segregated footways and cycleways on the road between the Manchester Ship Canal and the Regent Road roundabout as part of the £20m scheme.
But the Salford Quays community forum said it had “implored” the council to reduce the proposed two-year timeline, saying the proposed duration is “unacceptable”.
It added: “Whilst we do support additional cycling infrastructure and the proposed road junction changes, [we] do not believe that the benefits expected to flow from this scheme are enough to justify the costs and enormous disruption created by these works.
“We suggest it could be speeded up by banning lorries from Trafford Road during rush-hour periods; working double or even triple shifts; and undertaking the works in stages so that shorter sections are reduced to one lane. We believe the scheme should be reduced to no more than six months.”
It is also concerned about how the works could interlink with other transport projects in the vicinity including Trafford’s plans to redevelop Chester Road roundabout and the Metrolink development as well as potentially major housing developments at MediaCity.
The town hall is currently consulting on its plans, which it says will improve access to MediaCity, the Quays and Ordsall.
A council spokesman said: “The key scheme objectives are to improve junction capacity to enable continued growth across Salford Quays, and to improve pedestrian and cycling links both along and across the corridor to improve social connectivity to the Ordsall community and beyond.”
It predicts the main construction works will take place between next summer and early 2022.
Councillor Roger Jones, executive support for transport, said: “We will do all we can to minimise disruption and keep people informed and involved so they can plan journeys when the work starts. “