Partnership board announced for CyanLines

Delivery of Greater Manchester’s vision of a 100-mile active travel network will be headed by an 11-strong group, co-chaired by city council leader Cllr Bev Craig, and Urban Splash chairman Tom Bloxham.

CyanLines was announced in 2025 as a £100m plan to connect Greater Manchester’s parks, squares, rivers, canals and viaducts by creating a 100-mile+ network of walking, wheeling and cycling routes.

The board, formally appointed on Monday this week, is drawn from the private and public sectors, and features several high-profile property names.

Along with the co-chairs, the other members of the board are:

• Mike Innerdale, regional director, National Trust
• Jo Harrison, asset management director, United Utilities
• Cllr Tom Ross, leader, Trafford Council
• Sally MacDonald, director, Science and Industry Museum
• Jessica Bowles, director of strategy, Bruntwood
• George Coombs, principal officer for access to nature, Natural England
• Sarah Walker, research associate, Manchester Metropolitan University
• Anusha Shah, founder and chief executive, Plan for Earth
• Martyn Evans, creative director, Landsec

The partnership will be supported by senior responsible officer, Becca Heron, strategic director for growth and development at Manchester City Council. Planit’s Pete Swift, co-founder of CyanLines along with Bloxham, will be an advisor to the board.

The board will be expected to provide leadership, influence, expertise, advocacy and strategic perspective to support the delivery of the network of CyanLines routes over the next 10 years, starting with the city centres of Manchester and Salford and then stretching out across Greater Manchester to create a greener, healthier and more climate-resilient city for the future.

Four pilot CyanLines routes were announced in September last year: Victoria Station/NOMA to Queens Park, a Mayfield-New Islington-Ancoats Loop, St Peter’s Square to Whitworth Park, and Irwell & Castlefield Loop.

Bloxham said: “We were thrilled by the response to our call out to join our partnership board and I am really pleased with our mix of experienced and highly motivated individuals – it is certainly a group who get stuff done! Having robust governance and leadership is going to be crucial, particularly as we lobby for national and international funding to help deliver our ambitious plans to create CyanLines.

“We are well underway with agreeing and co-designing the first phase of CyanLines routes with our partners including building our investment case for them.”

Cllr Bev Craig said: “CyanLines continues to build momentum and appointing our board is a significant step forward. With representatives from a range of organisations and sectors, the knowledge and expertise of the board will help us drive forward our plans to bring more nature into the city for the benefit of everyone who live, works and visits here.”

Since its September launch, CyanLines has concentrated on engagement and consultation with community groups and organisations. The team has hosted free guided public walks of CyanLines routes attracting hundreds of participants, and organised canal clean-up volunteering days with the Canal and River Trust.

Led by interim programme director Steve Connor – founder of sustainability-focused comms group Creative Concern – the team at CyanLines continues to welcome more founding partner organisations.

Recent additions include BUPA, property consultancy OBI, planner Euan Kellie Property Solutions and outdoor clothing brand Regatta.

Connor said: “As well as our work, led by GM Moving, on engagement and consultation with young people, dedicated community groups and organisations across the city, CyanLines has been embraced by the business community, particularly the property sector whose support both financially and practically will be essential in transforming our vision for over 100 miles of nature network into a reality.”

The other CyanLines founding partners are:

• Allied London
• Bruntwood
• CIVIC
• Factory International
• Far East Consortium
• Glenbrook
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• Jolly Foundation (AO.com)
• Landsec
• Manchester City Council
• Manchester City Football Club
• Muse
• National Trust
• Nature Towns and Cities
• Property Alliance Group
• Renaker
• Trafford Council
• Urban Splash/Bloxham Charitable Trust
• Wain Group

Clarke Willmott is on board as legal partner.

A Community Interest Company is being set up and will be the co-ordinating body for CyanLines, with funds held in the already-established Greater Manchester Environment Trust.