Greater Manchester’s Bee Network plan to deliver the UK’s first joined up cycling and walking network is set to see a boost in Bury, with £1.3m of funding released for new cycling and walking routes.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has approved £1.3m of the Mayor’s Challenge Fund to progress four cycling and walking schemes in Bury.
This funding will see these cycling and walking proposals developed further, as part of Bury’s ambitions to deliver a network of safe cycling and walking routes and low traffic neighbourhoods, providing its residents with a more pleasant, safer place to live and work and an alternative way to travel.
These schemes take the total number of Mayor’s Challenge Fund packages at development stage to 63, with a committed delivery value of £34.6 million.
The schemes include Fishpool Active Neighbourhood, Elton Beeway, Radcliffe Bee Network and Pimhole Active Neighbourhood and mark a major step forward in delivering Bury’s ambitions, providing key links across communities. This includes delivering the new Gigg Mills bridge over the River Roch, a route that has been closed for two years. This which will enable thousands of local residents to access employment and services in the Pilsworth area on foot or by bike, via a direct and safe route, which will shorten the journey by 3-4km than if by travelling by motor vehicle.
In addition, Bury will start construction on its first CYCLOPS junction, of which the latest has recently been launched in Bolton, at the Market Street/Angouleme Way junction in the town centre which will tie in with the Fishpool route improvements.
Chris Boardman, Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner said: “This year marks a significant milestone for the Bee Network, as we see over 35 projects that have been in planning for the last couple of years, delivered.
“It’s clear from Bury’s plans that they are heavily invested in what we’re aiming to achieve across the whole of Greater Manchester, and are moving forward at pace. These schemes will provide a genuine alternative to the car for local journeys, the school run or the work commute, as well as creating a more pleasant place to live, grow up and get on. Great work Bury!”
Councillor Lucy Smith, Cabinet Member Transport and Infrastructure said: “These schemes will give our communities a real opportunity to re-think their travel habits and make cycling and walking their norm for local journeys.
“As well as being cheaper and better for the environment, building active travel into our day-to-day lives is an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle.
“Bringing these investment plans to fruition will make way for a much greener and fitter future for all.”
The schemes will be part of Greater Manchester’s Bee Network, an 1,800 mile joined up cycling and walking network across the city-region. So far, 82 schemes from the 10 GM local authorities and TfGM are in the development pipeline for the Mayor’s Challenge Fund (MCF), with a total value of £493M – around a third of the total forecast cost of £1.5bn required to deliver the Bee Network as a whole across Greater Manchester over the next 10 years.
