Image by Lucy Sykes.
Walk Ride Chorlton has written to councillors on behalf of over 400 respondents to their ongoing #safestreetssavelives questionnaire with the aim to help people stay safe during the pandemic.
The letter highlights the context of the recent statutory guidance, in which “The government … expects local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians,” and sets out the top five problems identified:
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Pavement parking.
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Cycle lane protection needed.
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More space for distancing needed.
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Speeding.
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Dangerous road crossings.
Residents were also asked about where interventions are needed, and respondents signed up to the following statement:
We, as residents of Chorlton, believe there is a need for some quick and easy safety measures in parts of our neighbourhood – these include more space for physical distancing and more protection from road traffic, such as expanded pavements, reduced pavement parking, and pop-up bike lanes for key workers and kids when they go back to school.
We believe we all – especially those who have extra mobility issues or with young children – need some low-cost temporary measures to ensure we feel safe enough to carry on walking, scooting, running, pushing buggies, using wheelchairs, or cycling safely.
By doing this, it means we can keep hold of the quieter, cleaner, safer streets we’ve enjoyed during lockdown, help Chorlton’s businesses thrive – and maybe make Chorlton a nicer place for all in the future.
Further actions requested of the council were for:
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Safe school streets
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Pop-up cycleways along Barlow Moor Road/Manchester Road (north-south) and Wilbraham Road (east-west)
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Erecting signage to ask drivers not to park on pavements
The questionnaire remains open, and Walk Ride Chorlton has collated this first batch of responses to prepare a letter to the local councillors.
Neighbouring Whalley Range ward also has an ongoing public questionnaire, which has been posted to residents in paper form for return to the Co-op on Withington Road, and is available to fill in online here.