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Chris Boardman’s cycle plans for Cheadle and Gatley
by Lib Dem team on 27 December, 2017
A couple of weeks ago Chris Boardman, the Mayor’s Cycling champion, released his first report. It builds on previous reports from TfGM and others. You can read it here.
Boardman calls for a £1.5 billion fund to deliver a high quality cycle network over the next ten years, including an orbital cycle route through Cheadle and Gatley.
“The report is a good step forward,” said Iain. “Getting more people cycling and walking is essential is we’re to sort out our traffic problems and tackle the high levels of pollution. I look forward to seeing more detailed plans coming forward in 2018.”
Do you have a version that shows the route please, Iain? The link doesn’t seem to show any specific routes.
The graphic in the post that shows some very rough routes is the most detailed publicly-available document as far as we know. There should be more detailed routes published in 2018.
Hopefully it will stop them riding on the pavements
The amount of times I’ve nearly been knocked down
That’s got to be a part of it – making cycling safe enough that cyclists don’t feel the need to cycle down narrow pavements and get too close to pedestrians. Unfortunately we have roads built for cars, and cyclists and pedestrians have been an afterthought.
Will these routes impede vehicle traffic flow?
I’ve not seen the routes, Robert – but if we don’t get more people onto bikes then we’ll have more and more cars on the same old roads and that will definitely impede traffic flow – and lead to more people becoming ill and dying from pollution. Modern cities need good, safe cycle routes as well as other forms of transport.
I don’t disagree. The thing is, I wouldn’t use a bike on our roads or in rain/bad weather. I would support proper routes that do not impede pavements or roads. As it is, the roads are not safe for more bikes (the Main reason I stopped using mine) and putting more pressure on the roads isn’t going to help. Bicycle Insurance and identification is also a must. There are too many ‘chancers’ at lights/junctions who do not adhere to either the Highway Code or common sense. Blaming the motorist all the time isn’t the answer.
I’m certainly not blaming motorists: I am one, after all. Many people do cycle in bad weather, but numbers go down of course. If we can make cycling safe, and make it feel safe, in all weathers then more people will cycle.
To Jean Hynd.
Residents of The Downs have solved the problem of cycling on pavements – They park their cars on them forcing both cyclists and pedestrians to take their chance on the road..
What about people who walk – and don’t want to paddle or slip on soggy leaves – please sort out neglected pavements first!!
Yes, improving facilities for pedestrians is a big part of it – although I’ve talked about cycling here, you’ll see the report is about cycling and walking.
However, nothing in the report is going to produce more money for local councils to fix every pavement that gets puddles when it rains or remove soggy leaves from every pavement. For that, local councils need more money – so it’s unfortunate that our MP has been voting for them to get less.
I agree with Margaret. Footpaths by the church are treacherous. Also the path under the railway bridge on Brook Road which leads to the developments at Mill Lane and Barnes Hospital was relaid – a great expense no doubt – and has been left to be covered with decomposing, slippy leaves which are turning into mud and hiding the path. Crazy.
My son cycles in and out of Manchester for work and regularly bikes it between Heaton Mersey and Cheadle, so anything to make the roads safer the better. Chris Boardman knows that more than many of us through tragic personal experience, so go for it, Chris!
Unfortunately most of the cyclists I see are acting irresponsibly by riding on pavements, through red lights at road junctions, over pedestrian crossings when showing red cycling down one way streets in the wrong direction, riding at night without lights and probably without a bell or reflectors and ignoring cycle lanes where they are provided. So I would like to see cyclists subject to compulsory testing and subject to the law like the rest of us. By all means put them on cycle tracks.
Hear, hear, FB. You’ve hit the nail on the head. Throwing more money at cyclists is not the answer when we have roads which are in an appalling state.
Hi Ian
Will the cycle routs also be wheelchair friendly ?
Perhaps you could pass on my details to the team working on the plan.
Hi Rick – I know they’re looking at both cycling and pedestrians and, where possible, having segregated lanes. Where there are shared cycle/pedestrian routes they would be at least 3m wide and properly surfaced. In Stockport we have a Disability User Group that feeds into all these proposals (with monthly meetings at the town hall that are open to all). I can get you put on the mailing list if you like. You could also speak to Kieran McMahon, who runs Disability Stockport and has always been a tireless advocate for Stockport’s disabled residents.
As a regular local walker and driver for access to distant facilities I agree strongly with FB. I also note the high proportion of law breaking drivers for whom a second saved is worth ignoring the risk to others. In both cases the legal system is critically failing to enforce good behaviour due to reducing funding. When is any Government going to retrieve the tax from offshore havens to feed into Public Services?
We cycle abroad regularly, but not in the UK, as it’s too dangerous. In Europe they either have designated cycle paths, or you are allowed to cycle on the pavement. It is never an issue, as both cyclists and pedestrians are educated enough for it not to be.
The answer is not to build lanes in the road which will restrict traffic flow, but to widen pavements and designate one part for pedestrians and one part for cyclists.
I agree with Ian that if we don’t reduce traffic, then as a country we are gridlocked. Ebikes are a brilliant way forward, but we have to start thinking about using the space we have, and not just moaning about everything.
Why not get youself and neighbours out in your streets and sweep up the leaves. It is a good way of keeping fit, getting some fresh air and fostering community spirit.
If the council can’t do it, lets get stuck in ourselves!
Just what cyclists need, safe cycle routes to get out of the city and access local countryside. Well done Chris Boardman. Pavements are another issue
What about people who can’t cycle; those with walking difficulties; long term health conditions … what ideas are their to improve the sub-standard public transport system that trys to serve Cheadle?
Hi Benjamin – we’ve reported a few times on our ideas for improving transport in Cheadle: better buses, a regulated bus service that allows properly integrated transport and a Metrolink tram service. We – along with others – have ensured that all of those are in the TfGM 2040 plans (and hopefully will happen well before 2040!). This piece of work is about cycling and walking, but there is a lot of other work going on too.
It’s a bold plan that I hope succeeds, and I’m glad some of our councillors like you Iain have a clear grasp of the issues, and have not fallen in to the trap of most debates around cycling/walking infrastructure.
In response to the comments about “most” cyclists being habitual lawbreakers, I don’t see that as the case, and I see far more lawbreaking conducted by cars, which is far more dangerous due to the inherent threat to life they pose. The issue of “cyclists” on pavements I think you’ll find is likely to be children who feel unsafe on the roads, and a segregated and protected infrastructure would remove this problem. This is also exacerbated by councils/developers who insist on using shared space solutions. They are an appalling solution designed to save money that only reinforce the idea that cyling on pavements is ok.
Forget the tram, its too complex, too expensive and too slow!
For goodness sake reopen Cheadle station for a fast journey to Stockport, Manchester, Altrincham and Chester using the line and trains that are already there – but we cannot board them!
What is the current situation with the Council plans for this long called for solution to Cheadle’s transport problems?
FB – opening station remains one possibility, but we think it’s less likely to happen than the Metrolink. We’ve always made clear that we would support either approach – our aim is to get a rail connection back to Cheadle.