Trafford secures Bee Network funding

Transport for Greater Manchester has committed £21m in its latest walking and cycling route investment, with £10.4m to be spent linking Sale town centre, Sale Moor and Sale Water Park to Chorlton, and £11.5m allocated to Urmston.

Most of the cash for the Sale scheme – £8.4m – will come from the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s Challenge Fund, with £2m from local contributions. The Challenge Fund will provide £11.4m for Urmston, where a range of improvements are planned.

Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council’s executive member for environment, air quality and climate change, said: “This project is a ‘win win’ for both Trafford residents and for the environment as it’s sure to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and make journeys by bike or on foot. We are delighted with this – Trafford Council  supports any schemes which contribute towards the health and wellbeing of the borough’s residents.”

Following feedback since the Bee Network’s initial unveiling in June 2018, TfGM has published an updated map which has seen the total length of the network increase by 77% – from almost 1,000m to more than 1,800m. The total number of new and upgraded crossings has also increased from 2,000 to 2,400. The plan as a whole follows recommendations set out in the 2017 Made to Move report headed by Chris Boardman.

A total of 15 new Bee Network cycling and walking schemes with a total value of £134m have now been ratified by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

The latest schemes would bring the total value of cycling and walking related-projects across Greater Manchester to around £339m – around £160m is to come from the Mayor’s Challenge Fund and £120m from local contributions. A further £74m funding will now be sought to fully cover the cost of all of the schemes plus associated programme costs.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “One year on from the launch of Greater Manchester’s proposals for the UK’s largest cycling and walking network it’s fantastic that we’ve now got 57 schemes worth a total of £339m on the books.

“I’m also really thrilled to hear that our ambition to revolutionise active travel across Greater Manchester has been further cemented with a massive 77% increase in the length of the network itself, following feedback from thousands of residents. I’m really looking forward to seeing our first Bee Network route open later this year.”