Categories
Campaigns Cycling Infrastructure Walk Ride subgroups Walking

#Safestreets Campaign: Making Space for Distancing

Words by Claire Stocks. (Photo credits below) We’re urging all Walk Ride supporters to do our bit to help make sure people on foot or bike can physically distance while travelling to work, doing essential shopping or taking basic daily exercise. We’re asking all our supporters to urgently get involved by doing some or all of […]

Categories
Walking

TfGM Announces Pedestrian Priority Plans as Councils Discuss Emergency Planning Options

TfGM has responded to the ongoing COVID-19 physical distancing conditions by making improvements to the waiting times at traffic lights. The changes are to assist with pedestrian priority and overall accessibility in the city region by reducing the chances of groups forming while waiting at lights. This is intended to enable safer movement of people […]

Categories
Cycling Walking

Streets Brought to Life by Daily Exercise During Lockdown

Our streets are seeing unprecedented life, as the drop in car traffic has led to a greater confidence among people to use active travel modes, including families teaching children to ride on the roads. The current conditions follow legislation issued by the government to curb all unnecessary trips, while promoting daily exercise through the types […]

Categories
Cycling Walking

Researchers Urge Priority for Active Travel for Any Necessary Movement During COVID-19 Pandemic

Words by Harrie Larrington-Spencer. As the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly escalates across the UK and beyond, there is increasing necessity for social distancing and limiting access to many places and activities in order to reduce the of transmission of the virus. These restrictions are put in place not only to protect ourselves, but also to protect […]

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Consultation Cycling Infrastructure Walking

Consultation Opens on North East Gateway Route

Consultation has opened on Manchester City Council’s proposed walking and cycling improvement route labelled North East Gateway. The proposed route seeks to address some existing issues: “Physical barriers to cycling and walking, like the River Irk, Ashton Canal, and railway viaducts Junctions which are not pedestrian/cyclist friendly (Oldham Road, Rochdale Road and Dantzic Street)”… …and […]

Categories
Cycling Infrastructure Walking

Bolton Future High Streets Consultation

This weekend is the last chance to respond to four consultations that have the potential to positively shape the high streets through Horwich, Little Lever, Westhoughton and Farnworth. The masterplanning consultants appointed by Bolton Council have created a design proposal for each of the four high streets in order to revive interest among people to […]

Categories
Cycling Events Infrastructure Walking

Review: Transport for New Homes – What Needs to Change?

Words by Harrie Larrington-Spencer. “Our country desperately needs more homes. But how can we ensure that new housing is built around sustainable transport, not around car use?” Transport for New Homes, a two-year funded research project on sustainable transport and the location of new developments, tries to answer the above question by investigating large housing […]

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Bee Network Cycling Walking

Urmston Bee Network Launch Attracts Huge Turnout

Urmston Bee Network’s consultation event to engage local people with the process towards its Active Neighbourhood area plan was met with a huge turnout on 23 January. Videos posted on Twitter showed people queuing through the door to be a party to the area’s vision for an active travel-led future. I got in! pic.twitter.com/b0OR4xbatK — […]

Categories
Bee Network Cycling Walking

Bee Network Publishes Walking and Cycling Investment Plan

The Greater Manchester Bee Network team has today revealed its Walking and Cycling Investment Plan, entitled Change a Region to Change a Nation. The report sets out the region’s progress to date with building its proposal to provide safe active travel options across the whole region. In doing so, it seeks to secure the £1.5 […]

Categories
Cycling Walking

Northern Quarter Walking and Cycling Consultation Launches

Manchester City Council has revealed its proposed designs to transform the Northern Quarter and prioritise people over motor vehicles. Comments via social media have pointed out potential options to achieve an even better outcome, including the full pedestrianisation of Stevenson Square and greater safety measures for cycling: The left side is being pedestrianised first to […]

Categories
Cycling Events Walk Ride subgroups Walking

Review: WalkRide GM’s 1st Birthday General Meeting

Words by Charles Ward. Photographs by Jonathan Keenan. The first birthday of WalkRride GM was celebrated on 3 December at the Friends’ Meeting House, along with 100 enthusiastic attendees. Proceedings were opened by Nadia Kerr, who reminded everyone of the sterling efforts of the founding members in late 2018, spurred on by Helen Pidd’s initial […]

Categories
Bee Network Cycling Walking

Mayor Grants Approval for Latest Tranche of Bee Network Walking and Cycling Schemes

25 schemes put forward for tranche 6 of the Bee Network proposals were granted programme entry during the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) committee meeting last week. The schemes include victories for WalkRide subgroups in Romiley and The Heatons, where active neighbourhood proposals were granted £3.9m and £3.2m, respectively. Also approved was £5.7m in funding […]