Row breaks out over Trafford cycle lane move

The Greater Manchester Mayor asked for patience from the public after the city council was criticised for gaps in its £600,000 bid to fund emergency active transport measures, and said that more time was needed to refine the plans. 

The city council met the deadline to submit a funding bid for cycling and walking interventions, but faced criticism over its refusal to provide pop-up bike lanes and other ‘active transport’ elements as neighbouring boroughs did.

The council aims to start procurement for the Gore Street connection, a scheme to improve walking and cycling provision around Salford Central rail station and New Bailey, with a contractor set to be announced in August.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has allocated £283m to bus and light rail services across the country, including funding for Manchester's Metrolink until the end of July.

The light rail networks that serve Liverpool and Greater Manchester city regions may have to suspend operations as severely reduced passenger numbers hit revenues, metro mayors Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham said. 

The £350m extension to Greater Manchester’s light rail network opened on Sunday, despite concerns over coronavirus, to help key workers make essential journeys. 

Stockport Council and Transport for Greater Manchester are set to request between £500m and £1bn from the Government to deliver an extension of the Metrolink line from East Didsbury to the town centre.

This year will see fresh services launched including a development map to complement news stories and branded content production for partners.

We can look back with pride at some tremendous train and tram schemes over the last decade, writes Laurie Mentiplay of WSP.