Manchester City Council will start work on the UK’s first CYCLOPS junction (Cycle Optimised Protected Signals) which has been designed to fully segregate cyclists from general traffic, improving safety for all road users.
This will form part of the £13.4 million Manchester to Chorlton cycling and walking route and work will start this week on resurfacing for the new CYCLOPS junction.
The junction will allow bicycles to approach from four ‘arms’ which converge onto a cycle track which completely encircles the junction. This means that bicycles can make a right turn at the junction, protected from traffic, and can complete the manoeuvre in one movement, dependent on signal timings.
After the surfacing work at the junction and its approaches is completed, new traffic lights are set to be commissioned, making the CYCLOPS junction fully operational.
The completion of the CYCLOPS junction will mark the end of construction work on the first phase of the project, which has also seen the creation of segregated cycle lanes along Chorlton Road, from Chester Road to Stretford Road in the city. The next phase of the scheme will see improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure on Chorlton Road between Stretford Road and Moss Lane East.
Executive Member for the Environment, Planning and Transport, Councillor Angeliki Stogia, said: “This is a big step forward in our work to create permanent, high-quality cycling and walking infrastructure which will support the long-term shift to active travel that we want to see right across the city. The trailblazing new CYCLOPS junction will maximise opportunities for safer cycling and walking in this area and we are really proud and excited to deliver this innovative project.
“And it is only the latest milestone in our ambitious plans to invest in a network of safe routes for people travelling on foot or by bike. We are continuing to move forward with our £79m pipeline of projects, which will enable more people across the city to make the switch to walking and cycling for their everyday journeys.”
