Work has started on a Greater Manchester network of safe, high-quality joined-up cycling and walking routes.

Earlier this year, Chris Boardman, Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner, unveiled an innovative new plan, created by the ten local authorities, for a city-region-wide cycling and walking network.The network is made up of more than 1,000 miles of routes, including 75 miles of fully segregated bike lanes, and will be the largest joined-up system of walking and cycling routes in the UK. Once built, the network will better connect every community in Greater Manchester, benefiting 2.7million people and making cycling and walking a real alternative to the car.

For more information visit www.tfgm.com/made-to-move.Costing approximately £13.4million and funded through the Government’s Cycle City Ambition Grant and the Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund, this project will create a route that includes large sections of segregation between people travelling on foot or by bike and other traffic from Chorlton Park to Manchester.

The 5km route will run along Barlow Moor Road, Manchester Road, Upper Chorlton Road and Chorlton Road, linking with existing routes and continuing to the city centre. Chorlton will be one of the first routes to be built and will provide a high-quality, segregated link between Chorlton and Manchester city centre, making it safer, more attractive and easier to get around.

For more details on the proposals, photos of proposed features and to give your views visit the consultation website.

As part of the consultation process we are also holding drop-in sessions where you can come along and discuss the proposals.

See also Manchester Evening News article “How Chorlton could look if a major road transformation goes ahead – and drivers will have to make way for cyclists”