Cheadle and Gatley Lib Dems are moving
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by Lib Dem team on 8 July, 2011
Good news – Greater Manchester has secured nearly £5 million Govt. funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) to improve cycle facilities across the region, including at Stockport bus station.
7 CommentsGreater Manchester’s leaders are celebrating after securing £4.9 million of Government funding for a new project that will kickstart a revolution in cycling in the region.
Transport for Greater Manchester, and its local authority partners, will use the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) investment to launch a new project that will make cycling to work a more realistic option in a number of key commuter destinations.
The Greater Manchester Commuter Cycle Project, designed to increase the number of people cycling to work, will provide almost 650 secure cycle parking spaces at a series of new Cycle Centres across Greater Manchester, and a further 450 spaces at a number of new Cycle Compounds.
Alongside this, a programme of local cycle information and training will also be offered to break through the barriers that currently hold people back from commuting by bike.
A specific “Bike Back to Work” scheme will also be launched, reflecting the importance of helping more local people to get back into work. This will offer people who are looking to find work the chance to borrow a bike for a trial period to help extend the distance that they can travel to a job.
Councillor Andrew Fender, Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, said: “This project has been developed to have the biggest impact possible on both increasing active travel and securing wider economic, social and environmental benefits, so I’m delighted that our bid has been successful.
“There is strong evidence to support the introduction of this scheme in Greater Manchester, where about two per cent of employees currently cycle to work, compared to a national average of three per cent.
“Our research has found that in towns where there has been a concerted effort to invest in the right facilities, levels of commuter cycling have exceeded four per cent – so there is definitely scope for improvement and I firmly believe that our scheme will achieve that.”
Each Cycle Centre will have covered, secure cycle parking, as well as lockers, toilets, and shower and changing cubicles. It is intended that they will be operated on a membership basis and accessed via a swipe card system.
They will be provided through a combination of newly built centres and re-fitting existing commercial units.
The Cycle Compounds will provide enclosed, secure cycle parking and lockers suitable for storing equipment like cycle helmets and wet weather clothing. They will serve commuter cyclists travelling shorter distances.
Cycle Centres are proposed in the following locations: Ashton Pool; Piccadilly Gardens; Manchester Arndale Centre; MediaCityUK; Regional Centre (location to be finalised); Altrincham Interchange; Bolton Interchange.
Cycle Compounds sites have been identified in the following locations: Bury Interchange; Stockport Bus Station; Sale Town Centre; Wigan Stations; Rochdale Station; Oldham Town Centre.
A full four-year delivery programme for the Greater Manchester Commuter Cycle Project will now be developed following confirmation of the LSTF support.
Whilst all the above is appreciated, would someone at the same time, please do something about cyclists, especially, sorry to say mostly younger ones riding on the pavements, sometimes at great speed. Pedestrians have only to change direction slightly when walking on the pavement and could be hit by a cyclists coming from behind. Its bad enough when one is spotted tearing down on one from somewhere ahead.
I agree with money being spent to improve cycling conditions around Manchester, hopefully it will stop not only youngsters cycling on the pavements but a few older people too who should know better. But what I would ask of cyclists in general for return in this money, will they start obeying the law? I’m frequently at Gatley lights and others,sat at a red light when a cyclist just sails through, the middle aged lady who did this on Friday really did take her life in her hands at Gatlet lights as a petrol tanker just missed her, not only could she have been killed but other road users and pedestrians would also potentially have been hurt! Also I think it’s time helmets and lights became mandatory or a fine imposed.
I’m a big fan of cycling safely and legally – obeying the rules of the road is important. The Council does offer cycle training for children, we’re hoping to do more for adults.
Of course, just as with drivers, not everyone keeps to the letter of the law all the time. Just as there are times when it’s safe (though illegal) to drive at 35mph in a 30mph limit, there are times when it’s safer for a cyclist to go a short distance on an empty pavement rather than on a busy road.
It’s already the law for cyclists to have lights at night, and for me reflective gear is essential too. Far too many cyclists, especially younger ones who don’t drive themselves, don’t appreciate how invisible they are at night without illumination.
I don’t agree with cycle helmets being compulsory – that’s a slightly more complex debate though: both as to whether cycle helmets actually make cycling safer for most people and, even if they do (which is far from proven), whether the benefits of making them compulsory outweighs the downsides.
Overall, cyclists – like pedestrians and drivers – should first and foremost travel safely and with consideration for other road users.
We can encourage that through training and we can use the stick of police enforcement.
As a cyclist this is much appreciated, although due to me originating outside of Greater Manchester and having an agreeable employer I likely won’t use this.
As both a driver and a cyclist, I’ve seen both sides of the debate. Cyclists are given a bad reputation by a few, as are drivers. That said I’ve been hit twice on the A56, once by a driver driving out of a drive in to the side of me and once by a car not checking mirrors after passing me and turning left, take it from me, it hurts. We all have a responsibility to protect the more vulnerable. However, in my experience, the police aren’t willing to do anything about drivers who hit cyclists, nor are the courts. The whole situation needs to be equitable and fair; enforcement (and therefore fining) of cyclists who break the law, the same of motorists when they hit cyclists.
I’m not sure where all the animosity comes from towards cyclists, lets face it if we were in cars we’d be slowing drivers far more.
[…] Greater Manchester, we’re getting £5m funding to build facilities for cyclists – secure parking, lockers and, in some cases, showers and changing rooms too. That meets an […]
There is a huge difference between cyclists and people who ride bikes. Remember anyone can ride a bike, and that same lad being an idiot and swerving through pedestrians at speed is likely the same one who causes insurance premiums to rise every year.
A bit of tolerance is needed on all sides.
Can I point out, cyclists will infringe on the law far less than motorists.
How many motorists comply with the speed limits at all times?
Virtually NONE.
How many motorists illegally drive on the pavement and dump their vehicle ?
Millions upon Millions.
How many motorists are on the roads in the UK without insurance ?
Latest figures – up to 2 million.
I could go on and on,motorists using mobile phones, failing to indicate, failing to overtake cyclists safely, running red lights, illegally parking en-mass, playing music at anti-social levels etc etc.
When a cyclist breaks the law they will often injure/kill themselves, when a motorist breaks the law in a killing machine …. the results we see in our newspapers everyday.