Classic WhatsApp Gap

Something of a roller coaster of announcements recently in Salford:

✅ First camera enforced school street
✅ Fantastic Quays > Media City plans
✅ Making Islington LTN permanent

❌ Peel Green abandoned
❌ Chapel St cyclops postponed
❌ Cycling ignored in other junction upgrades

So much great stuff in here for walking and cycling, and good to see such significant active travel improvements being baked into what was originally pitched as a bus scheme. GM Streets for All in action

There are now just 2 weeks remaining to show your support for this excellent scheme, which is currently on the receiving end of an organised campaign to stop it going ahead.

If you want a safe route between Irlam and the rest of Salford, please express your support

Some great stuff in this scheme, especially the junction upgrades along South Langworthy Rd

walk ride GM This submission is on behalf of Walk Ride GM, the campaign for active travel in Greater Manchester. Walk Ride GM strongly support this traffic order to enable delivery of the Peel Green Active Travel scheme. Importance to network This scheme is a strategically important part of the emerging active travel network, as it is the only highway route connecting communities in the Cadishead and Lower Irlam, Higher Irlam and Peel Green neighbourhood area with the rest of Salford, providing a continuation of the existing A57 shared use route which runs as far as the community stadium. The proposed scheme provides those wanting to walk/cycle to major trip generators in the area with a safe way to do this, including: - Visitors to Salford Community Stadium and Barton airport - Current and future employees at Port Salford's employers, which are planned to expand significantly in coming years as one of GM's designated growth locations -Children walking/cycling to Barton Moss primary school and Salford City Academy (~15 min cycle from Higher Irlam) - Any future Metrolink stop(s) at Port Salford / community stadium 38.4% of households in Peel Green have no cars or vans (2021 Census - Peel Green MSOA), so providing safe alternatives to driving is essential. Current safety issues The scheme will resolve a number of safety issues issues for those currently walking/cycling along this section of highway, with a number of the below issues classed as 'critical' by Active Travel England and in the GM Streets for all design check: - speed and volume of traffic cyclists are expected to mix with, including proportion of that made up of large vehicles - areas of inconsistent lane widths throughout the section which don't dissuade close passes - Narrow sections of shared use path along northern side with lack of marked priority across side roads - Lack of tactile paving at side roads Cyclists heading west have to rejoin carriageway immediately after M60 roundabout exit on left han…

Unsuitable alternatives At a recent community meeting and on social media, objectors to this scheme have suggested alternative off-road routes via a recently improved path alongside Peel Green cemetery and Eccles definitive footpath 28. While this would provide a useful additional leisure route for some, it should be considered a complimentary route rather than an alternative to delivering the scheme along Liverpool Rd. Aside from the fact only the new section of path is actually passable on a cycle, routing those walking and cycling through an unlit isolated area with a lack of passive surveillance will render this route unusable for many, particularly women, especially at night, and would undermine the scheme's objectives of enabling modal shift for everyday trips: - In 2024, only 44% of women (vs 67% of men) were satisfied with their personal safety at night while walking. (draft 2050 GM Transport Strategy, 2025) - In 2024, only 48% of GM residents were satisfied with their personal security while cycling at night (GMA active travel annual report, 2024) - "Targets for increased numbers of sustainable journeys on our public transport network and through active travel are non-achievable if the fundamental issue of feeling safe is not addressed." (In Her Shoes, GMCA 2025) Validity of petition We are also aware that a change.org petition is being circulated as part of objections to this scheme. We would like to highlight that there is no validation that the signatures on this petition are from those within Salford or even Greater Manchester. The petition was circulated on a number of anti-cycling social media accounts and it is clear that it will include signatures from those who have no connection to the local area, with some even openly declaring they live as far afield as Scotland.

We have today submitted our formal support for the Peel Green Active Travel Scheme.

We are encouraging all our followers to submit their own support (see following post), as drivers are objecting to this scheme based on it adding a mere 70 seconds to their morning drive.

38% of Peel Green households have no access to a car or van. They must be given safe alternatives.

Please email your support for this scheme before the deadline of 22nd December.

This section of road is currently awful to cycle along. Please take a few minutes to express your support for it before 22nd December. Disappointingly even some local councillors are publicly objecting to this £4m investment into the local area.

Written Statement: Side Road Zebra Crossings in Wales | GOV.WALES Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales

Side Road Sebras for Cymru!

www.gov.wales/written-stat...

📣New data shows London cycling is soaring:

📈 12% up from last year to 1,500,000 daily journeys
📈 that's 43% up from 2019

🚲Cycleway Network grows to 431km (up from 90km in 2016)
😎 & 76% of London cyclists feel safe our routes

🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲

bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The latest National Travel Survey clearly questions that old myth about "Active travel is just for the middle classes, what about working people who have to drive?"

Salford Chapel St new cycleways under construction. @rantyhighwayman.bsky.social

Plan showing cyclops at junction of Trinity Way and Chapel St

You’ll have to wait for the cyclops scheme for that

Bridge entrance with sign saying “Caution, slippery surface, please take care”

Bridge path, with weighed down barriers to narrow the space

Bridge path, with weighed down barriers to narrow the space

Apparently, the way to deal with a slippery surface is to narrow the path and cause conflict between users 🤷

I mean, this bridge is barely a few years old, did no one actually bother to check if the surface would be suitable for walking and cycling in Manchester weather?

an outdoor blllboard There will never be a bell loud enough, a helmet strong enough, or clothing bright enough to make up for poor infrastructure. Picture of child biking in a painted bike lane

Enough.

Awesome to see this billboard up in Vancouver.
Was really incredible to work with the people at @visionzerovancouver.ca to bring this to life.

A computer generated image of a street scene with small text stating Option 1 - One-way cycle lanes on each side - view south on Seymour Grove at Junction with Chatham Road

📯Huge Opportunity for Public Space Improvement

Do you want to see a joined-up #BeeNetwork in #GreaterManchester?

Then have your say on this impressive proposal for Seymour Grove.

It's ambitious on paper, but local Councillors need confidence that there's public backing to approve it.

The next walking & cycling forum is now confirmed for next Tuesday 16th September, including:

- update on current schemes
- presentation from Cycling UK on their inclusive cycling report & micro mobility work

Register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/salford-walking-cycling-forum-tickets-1678604634649

Pedestrian Wait-Time Reduction: a vast improvement to the pedestrian experience on a shoestring budget. | Josef Whitfield Pedestrian Wait-Time Reduction: a vast improvement to the pedestrian experience on a shoestring budget. Here is my research paper on pedestrian wait-time reduction - a project which I led on whilst I...

There’s a good paper here on the work that Greater Manchester have been doing on this with practical steps other local authorities could take to quickly and cheaply reduce wait times

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

Grim messaging from Manchester City Council 👀

Van obstructing pavement

Van obstructing pavement

Van obstructing pavement

Satellite view of several vehicles blocking pavement

Why don’t they just go and play in these 2 parks within walking distance 🤔

Nicely built cycle lane, almost complete.

Leigh cycle lane, still not complete but so close. Obviously couldn't photograph them but two 7-8 year old girls scooting down it with their mum, huge smiles on their faces.

Because they felt safe

Photo showing cross section of road annotated with line showing future pedestrian crossing location

Think it’s because there’s going to be a signalised pedestrian crossing there, so presumably to minimise the crossing distance for pedestrians?

There are places that have achieved Vision Zero. Oslo is one of them. Floating bus stops are part of the solution, not the problem. Stop making vulnerable road users fight over scraps of space while prioritizing the mode of transport that kills most.

Disabled people's access needs in transport decarbonisation Click on the article title to read more.

Morning @marshadecordova.bsky.social

I'm a disabled person and an academic focusing on sustainable transport and disability justice.

I wrote this piece last year on bus stop bypasses.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

1/

We have also submitted written evidence today. We are extremely concerned about these exclusionary amendments which would make comprehensive safe cycling for children, families & many disabled people impossible.

Disabled people’s mobility – why Bus Stop Bypasses are sometimes essential briefing Wheels for Wellbeing is an award-winning charity supporting disabled people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of cycling.

The Bus Services (No.2) Bill is at committee stage
Bus stop bypasses (floating bus stops) are being discussed
Well designed bus stop bypasses are the best option in some places for pan-impairment #ActiveTravel and public transport #accessibility. Here's why:
wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/disabled-peo...

As promised, my written evidence is now on the @cityinfinity.bsky.social website blog. It has also been acknowledged by Parliamentary support.

I hope you understand why I have unusually disabled replies.

cityinfinity.co.uk/2025/06/30/b...

Right I'm so pissed off that we've got London MPs trying to hijack the Local Buses Bill (which is supposed to be about STUFF OUTSIDE LONDON for a change) to try to ban London / all floating bus stops (utter nonsense), that I've stayed up late writing evidence for the committee. Join me! Link ⬇️

Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL] publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament Documents, and debates for Bus Services (No. 2) Bill [HL]

I have just spent a few hours writing up some evidence for the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill which is in the Commons committee stage.

It should be boring but important stuff about running bus services with a model that suits each area.

1/n

bills.parliament.uk/bills/3910/p...

Old vs new design for King St junction, now showing a cyclops design

Phase 2 design now also includes a cyclops at the King St junction