Trafford picks AE Yates for Stretford road improvements
A series of public realm improvements will begin in the town centre later this month in an effort to improve pedestrian routes.
Trafford Council has appointed contractor AE Yates to carry out the works, which include the transformation of Stretford’s Kingsway and Barton Road junction to create new crossings and cycle lanes.
Managed by The LK Group and supported by Civic Engineers, Exterior Architecture, and Simon Fenton, the project will also see the redesign of the Kingsway carriageway.
Widened footpaths will be separated from traffic through the planting of trees and the introduction of seating in the centre.
Trafford Council also hopes that the reduction in traffic speed will make the junction a non-preferential route, driving residents to use alternative and more sustainable modes of transport.
Regeneration will see cycle hire and parking provided more prominently throughout the town centre, making the area more accessible for cyclists.
Stretford’s regeneration is being funded by part of the £17.6m funding awarded to Trafford Council in January 2021 by the government’s £830m Future High Streets Fund.
The scheme is due to complete in September 2024.
Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s executive member for economy and regeneration, said: “These new designs will make the experience safer and more enjoyable for pedestrians and cyclists and complement the redevelopment of Stretford Mall.”
Work on the £12m Stretford Mall shopping centre scheme is currently underway nearby, due for completion in February 2025.
Great proposal, will really help link the Victoria Park neighbourhood to the town centre and help increase footfall
By Anonymous
Where are the bus stops on Kingsway on the new plan???
By Anonymous
Stretford is,and will continue to be the poor relation Trafford.Monies awarded to Urmston,Sale and Alrincham to update and modernise,dwarf the pittance Stretford will(or not)recieve.
By Anonymous
Still won’t get rid of the drunks and druggies
By Anon
Unbelievable from Trafford Council yet again – the anti-car council, witness the traffic cones debacle on the A56. A dual carriageway runs the entire length of Kingsway and is a vital route through Stretford to Chorlton, Trafford Park and Urmston. By installing cycle lanes and traffic calming measures the traffic won’t simply disappear, it will simply divert vehicles through quieter roads nearby, creating rat runs with increased danger to both cyclists and pedestrians. Does the council not realise that most people actually want to use their cars to go shopping, taking their children to and from school, and getting to work etc? Using a bicycle is not practical for my these kinds of journey and Trafford Council are fools if they think otherwise. Cyclists are some of the most annoying and dangerous individuals on the road – they go through traffic lights on a red signal, have absolutely no consideration for pedestrians and car users, and most sport no lights on their bikes. People using bikes take no test to see if they’re fit for being on the road, there is no equivalent MOT for their bikes and they pay no road tax, nor do they have to have any insurance. Yet this council rewards them by churning up Trafford’s roads into cycle lanes at a cost of millions of pounds!
By Fred Shito
What a disgrace. This will be a total nightmare for everyone (residents included) who do not wish – or in the case of my 74 year old mother – can’t strap bags to a bike and cycle. Imagine the joys of sitting in all that seating watching back to back buses crawl down the perpetual traffic jam that will be Kingsway. It’s laughable and is the epitome of this Labour council.
By Joe
I’ll still drive my car. Never ever seen a cyclist on kingsway Rd. More cones. Stretford mall is a joke
By Nonya
Trafford council wasting money again 🙄 All this work to make it comfortable for cyclists who don’t pay road tax or insurance.
This rubbish making it difficult for drivers who do pay road tax and insurance.
Trafford council need their head testing.
By Sonia Manborde
Hopefully given Civic Engineers involvemenyt and the available green space freed up by narrowing the carriageway we may finally get some SuDS to rival Sheffields Grey to Green scheme. It would be a massive own goal if this is positively drained.
By Matt
I see the anti cyclist/anti pedestrian car lobby below as usual with their antiquated comments. Do they not realise every person who walks or cycles is one less car on the road. No road tax argument haha. A lot of cyclists do drive as well just they use their bikes to do journeys that are possible. You can change how you do your shopping so creating less pollution. Just laziness and selfishness from the comments above. As for cyclists being the most dangerous what a load of rubbish.
By Daniel
Will they also do something about the A56? It’s nice that they are planning to reduce traffic on the East-West road, but if the A56 remains 4-lanes, Stretford, and its new town centre, will remain cut off
By Anonymous
I see the swivel eyed car loons are out in force today. This road plus the A56 splits the town in half. This work will narrow that gap.
By Driverandcyclist
Sonia, cyclists do drive as well you know. Road tax doesn’t exist and hasn’t for decades. If someone chooses to cycle then they aren’t driving so that’s one car less on the road so less congestion. No one is saying everyone should cycle but if people choose to shouldn’t they be safe to do so? Do you know how many thousands of cyclists have died because of dangerous driving due to non segregated lanes. Children losing their mum or dad because of this? And you are arguing against this? Ask yourself why?
By Lisa
At the moment, Kingsway is over-engineered and ugly. To cross Kingsway as a pedestrian is a nightmare. This scheme keeps the car capacity, allowing cars to spread out at the traffic lights at either end… while making the middle section a lot narrower. I’d rather have trees, paving and cycle lanes than unnecessary car lanes. Stretford is growing massively and the public realm needs to reflect that. I live here and love the fact that the gym, tram, supermarket, restaurants, cafes and greenspaces off the canal/meadows/Mersey are all walking distance. The Town Centre proposal and all the new apartments coming here will give it a bit more life.
By Fantastic Scheme
A considerable number of people will not stop using cars until there is a cycle that can take a passenger and some shopping/baggage and protect them from rain. Cycling is not a feasible form of transport on a daily basis in a city such as Manchester especially as its predicted to get more rainy days even in summer due to climate change. I can see that when the usage figures over the next 5 years are collated (and not fudged, hopefully) there will be some back pedalling on cycle lanes (no pun intended). All this spending on little used cycle lanes during a cost of living crisis. It’s a double whammy for people who need their council to spend on priorities higher up the list than encouraging cycling.
By Anon
Re Joe, If everyone who can cycle does so then your 74 year old mum will have much more space to drive her car. Everyone’s happy.
By Sally
Re Nonya you probably haven’t seen a cyclist because I’m pretty sure you don’t watch kingsway 24 hours a day, and also it’s actually dangerous for cyclists currently!
By Daniel
Missed opportunity to put in a CYCLOPS junction at Park Road. Come on Trafford if you want to make things better for cyclists don’t do half a job
By Levelling Up Manager
Hopefully this will get more people walking short journeys instead of driving them. Lots of traffic caused by short journeys, making things worse for people who have no alternative but to drive.
Also, since this is Trafford Council, road tax had nothing to do with it: it’s being paid for by council tax which householders pay whether they’ve got a car or not. About 30% of homes in Stretford don’t have a car, the council need to cater for those too.
By Anonymous
This story is now closed to further comments.
By Paul Unger
Kingsway was originally built as a bi-pass to Stretford and is the main east to west thoroughfare for traffic.
As a cyclist myself I very much doubt this will encourage many people to change from using their cars and the overall number of people who will benefit from this will be low on comparison to the disruption and overall cost.
Trafford Council would have gone much better to spend the money on improving public transport
By Andy
This is complete rubbish project , its already busy road, imagine cycle lane will create big issue, its bad for environment as waiting cars will burn more fuel. Everyone needs a car for shopping , can not do on the cycles. We pay road tax , MOT .its making life more difficult for car user .very strange decision by the council .
By Anonymous
Trafford have the best council in GM, we have by far the best parks and public spaces
By Dan