Anniversary Report - More cycle lanes
We received 82 comments asking for more cycle lanes. Respondents had differing opinions about whether the cycle lanes should be segregated from other traffic or not. The areas of Greater Manchester which were most frequently mentioned were the University area, Rusholme, Kingsway, Chester Road (A56) and Stockport Road (A6). Many complain that existing cycle lanes are not continuous, instead they stop at the points where it is more difficult to allocate space for them, which are also considered the places where there is most need for them.
A commonly sited problem is where traffic forms 2 lanes where the road has been designed for only 1, so there is no room for cyclists. Some cyclists resort to riding on the pavements under these circumstances.
What bright spark ever had the idea that buses and bikes would be ideal candidates to share a lane?! [Oxford Road - University area] It makes for some hairy riding when you are sandwiched between two buses and one stops abruptly at a stop in front of you, forcing you to stop too, or swing out into the busy traffic. If you do get past a bus, the driver is then annoyed at having a bike in his way, and will probably overtake just in time for the next bus-stop. How to improve: As always, dedicated segregated cycle paths.
Curry Mile: The cycle lanes around the bus stops are a recipe for disaster due to bikes and buses having to cross paths every few metres or so (as with shared bus/cycle lanes). Also, this is one of the most dangerous parts of Manchester to cycle, due to the slow congested traffic meaning that: Pedestrians nip between cars into cycle lanes. Buses let passengers off into cycle lanes. Cars let each other out of turnings, or into turnings with no regard for quicker moving cyclists. Cars pull in and out of parking spaces, or park in the cycle lane, with no regard for cyclists. So there is provision but once again, poor planning just leads to clashes between cyclists, pedestrians and buses, and mis-directed antagonism (it is the planners that are to blame). How to improve : As always, dedicated segregated cycle paths. I'd like to see the curry mile free of cars - buses, bikes and people only. Cars should be using the larger dual carriageways where there are specifically for them. Unfortunately I can't see that happening in our car-dominated society.
Ashton Old Road - Between Pottery Lane and Alan Turing Way. There are no cycle lanes but two lanes of traffic forces bikes onto the pavement. How to improve: Introduce cycle lanes and improve traffic lanes
Manchester Road - between Fairfield Street and Audenshaw Road (West bound): The traffic forms two lanes despite the fact that two lanes have not been designated. Cycles often forced onto the pavement. How to improve: Cycle lanes, narrowing pavement to allow for a cycle lane, improve traffic control.
Stockport Road - End of Park Parade in Ashton under Lyne (West bound). Three lanes of traffic all weaving between lanes. How to improve: Not sure - cycle lane for a start
Manchester Ship Canal - Barton Locks between Trafford and Salford: Open it up and provide a safe route across canal with lighting and or CCTV. Provide good signage with good surface on approach paths/roads.
Chichester Road - All along the stretch near Loretto College towards Hulme Asda: There are two busy bus stops within a rather short distance of each other. In the morning there are lots of cars dropping people off: people open car doors, and step into the road without looking: there are lots of buses that roar away from the curb with little consideration for cyclists. It's hard to see how this can be improved: a dedicated cycleway through some nearby neighbourhood might be good, but the side streets in this area are also surprisingly busy: cars zoom around, trying to avoid traffic lights.
Briscoe Lane - Junction with 10 Acres lane (North-east bound) No cycle lane, it's a traffic light crossroads at the top (almost) of a vicious hill. It's narrow, and there's often a very large truck behind you (the scary sort of truck which carries hardcore rock or building materials. So you're struggling up the hill, someone in a 35 ton truck is close behind you, with no room to pass, and then the lights turn red. not much you could do. Cycling on the pavement might be the best option.
River Way, Wigan - Between Darlington Street and Caroline Street (Southbound). Very fast with cars racing from lights. Really dangerous under the railway bridge if you are making a right turn to head towards Wigan Pier. Put in a cycle lane with an ASL at the traffic lights at Caroline Street.
Princess Parkway - where northbound cycle path joins the road. The cycle path just runs out and drops you into the traffic. The alternate cycle path takes you back on yourself and under the bridge alongside the canal. This is very dark and feels very unsafe from a personal safety point of view. A crossing at this point would allow cyclists to cross to the other side of the road where a cycle path is provided. Alternatively extension of the cycle path alongside Princess Parkway until it reaches the pedestrian crossing further up. Coming back the other way, you have to cross the crossing further up Princess Parkway then come alongside the parkway on the pavement until you get to the cycle path.
Stockport Road (A6) - Longsight centre (Both ways). Very busy road, very busy pavement, road not wide enough to maneuver effectively. Well-signed alternative route is probably the best option.
Kingsway (A34) - Between junction with Gatley Road and motorway sliproad (North-bound). There are alternative routes from Gatley to Didsbury/Parrs Wood but they all take much longer and/or involve cycling along pavements. Starting at the A34/Gatley Road junction you have to cycle down the middle lane of a three-lane carriageway. Cars on your left are joining the motorway so going fast (frequently more than the 40mph speed limit). Cars on your right are heading straight into Manchester. There is a route under the road and little-used pavement on the South-bound side : a shared-use pavement and better signing would at least give cyclists a legal option without a big detour.
Higher Cambridge Street - Junction with Booth Street W ((mainly) South bound). Cars tend to use the (single) lane in front of the traffic lights as two lanes, thus squeezing cyclists off the road (or performing other dangerous acts). How to improve: Narrowing the lane by adding a "green cycle lane" on the left, similar to further along the same road.
Better signage - this could be a main route to both the Football and Cricket Grounds from Chorlton and Stretford. The route through Longford Park is not shown on the GM cycle maps.
more cycle lanes (particularly where A56 is a bit narrow). Cycling permitted along canal.
Permitting cycling along the canal- currently it is prohibited
COMPLETELY SEPARATE CYCLE ROUTE (WITH CONCRETE BARRIER AS IN NETHERLANDS) ON ALL BUSY ROADS
Almost all of the city centre is bad. Deansgate is marginally better than Cross Street as it is wider and therefore easier for bikes to cycle next to cars in heavy traffic. Albion Street is particularly bad because cars are turning in and out of side streets and don't think to look for bikes so cut across you or stop across bike lanes. More bike lanes are desperately needed in the city centre, it would be good to have them in pedestrianised areas and going the "wrong way" down one way streets too.
We need one pedestrianised road between the city centre and the University also available to cyclists. Students are now cut off from the city centre by Oxford Rd because it is so unpleasant being full of busses spewing out black fumes and having extremely loud engines. People do not walk down Oxford Rd to visit Manchester Museum either because the route is too unpleasant. So in summary, a clean, green quiet route free from traffic for walkers and cyclists between Manchester City Centre and the University and Museum.
Washway Rd no cycle lane early on; turn onto and off Chester Rd difficult
towards town after Grafton street on oxford road - no separate cycle path and I've been hit by a bus here. If the cycle path from the Whitworth Art Gallery extended into and on through the university campus
Cycle provision in Wigan town centre
Cycle lanes that do not keep ending randomly
Timperley:contra flow provision for cyclist - Langdale Road off Eastway
Shared bus/cycle lanes between Kingsway and Upper Brook St in both directions
A bicycle lane along the whole of Bury Old Road
cycle lane along full length of Kingway (wide pavement) and Birchfield road (wide road)
Wigan council's overall cycle provision is abysmal except along the East Lancs Road and parts of the A49, none of which are any use for this journey.
Cycle bridge over Carrington Spur (with no dog muck)
Lymm: Join up the single track to provide a traffic free route around the side of the golf course
Some space for bikes on the A57 between Warburton and Cadishead
more cycle lanes which don't stop and start would be nice
Some way of getting across the A57 (Noth Reddish _ centre)
A less circuitous route through Heaton Park
Decent cycle route from the A34 to Sackville Street Campus. Decent, that is segregated, route along the A34
Defined cycle paths from Plymouth Grove/Upper Brook junction to town side of Oxford Road
Bike lanes on Lloyd Street
Cycle lane on Manchester Road, Chorlton, Separate cycle lane on A6
Proper cycle lanes, especially nearer city centre
Less traffics, cycle lane all the way down Kings Road and on Booth Street West and East.
Separate cycle lane through Denton
a cyclists' cut-through from Cambert Lane to Mount Road to save me becoming a pedestrian for a few yards
bike lanes along whole route, clear of parked cars
Dedicated cycle paths for bikes. See Holland as the role model
Cycle lanes in both directions along King Street West in Stockport. The road is wide enough, it could be done.
More cycle lanes, especially on Palatine Road from Northenden to Withington.
Pedestrian lanes in parks and on canals
More off-road cycle lanes
Better cycling provision along Peter St, Quay St, New Quay St
Why oh why can't we have segregated cycle lanes, or even a road just reserved for cyclists?
There are no good cycle routes for me. A car free cycle lane into Manchester and I would immediately switch to my bicycle. Normally I take the train.
I cant afford a decent bike. Not a competent rider so the traffic really worries me, its very dangerous along oxford road. A safer route is well out of the way
Provision for cyclists seems poor in Manchester. I live and work in the city centre and using a bike would be a very convenient way of getting around but I am terrified of the roads, especially the Oxford Rd/Wilmslow Rd corridor. We really could use some dedicated cycle paths (as in much of Europe) or at the very least more green lanes to the left of the city's roads.
I'm after a new job - if i get it, i'll probably cycle, weather permitting the other thing is that i think cycle paths in england are generally awful, but then again, i've cycled in holland, where it is quite simply amazing. here, idiots constantly park on the routes and - this is the bit i really can't understand - the lanes stop at jundtions - where you need them most! what's this all about???? and can you tell me about this critical mass thing? i'd love to have a go at that, sounds real fun!
I want to cycle to work, but do not want to take my life in my hands by using the busy roads. Can someone show me a direct safe route using cycle paths and safe quiet streets etc. I know there is a cycle path along part of the A580 to start off, but what then?
I would certainly cycle to work if navigating from my side of the city centre to The Crescent in Salford was not so perilous - the cycle lanes on the other side of Hulme disappear when you get the the motorway and the only other option is pavement and a dodgy subway - not ideal for a woman on her own at the best of times, a no-go in the dark.
Put cycle lanes on ALL main roads, or on a convenient alternative. At present I can use them for about 1/2 of my journey. However they are missing on the busiest most dangerous sections.
I am currently moving from St. Helens to Stockport and the excuse is the same as it is for me cycling from St. Helens to Altrincham. There is no safe route for me to go. On the trip from St. Helens to Altrincham i would have to go through Warrington adding more mileage to the trip. To go from Stockport I need to go through Manchester to cross to Altrincham. If there was a safe route I would actively consider cycling to save money and improve my health and the health of the environment
The Fallowfield Loop is great but of limited use for commuters - what Manchester needs is a similar dedicated cycle track that goes in and out of Central Manchester (rather than across South Manchester). Currently the best options are Yew Tree Road and Oxford Road. Oxford Road includes clashes with buses in bus lanes, annoyed pedestrians, irate that you are trying to cycle on the "pavement" cycle lane where they want to chat, and the section just South of the library is nothing less than scarily congested, even for an experienced urban cyclist. There are no better options because of all the dual carriageways/motorway just south of the centre. Also, Yew Tree Road, is ironically better for cycling than Wilmslow Road despite (or possibly because of) the relative lack of badly planned cycle lanes. The combination of badly planned cycle lanes and unenforced cycleways (the permanent cycle lane through Fallowfield also has cars parked over it permanently) means that only the very daring will regularly cycle in and out of South Manchester.
