Cheshire East Council has been awarded almost £1.3m by Active Travel England to develop a new 1.5-mile walking and cycling route between Wilmslow town centre and Handforth, along the existing B5358 Manchester Road.
The funding will enable the council to carry out further improvements and deliver a more modern pedestrian and cycling-friendly scheme, which it says will have clear segregation from traffic, enhanced safety, and measures to discourage obstructive vehicle parking.
The plans proposed to Active Travel England, which were based upon public consultations, include a dedicated route with signing at key transition points and reducing the speed limit on Manchester Road from 40mph to 30mph. It is proposed that there will be greater priority for pedestrians at junctions, including an additional pedestrian crossing at the junction with Station Road, Handforth, while cyclists will get priority at signalled junctions.
Improvements to the public realm will include benches along the route, low-level planters, and more substantial planting schemes. Improvements to bus stops are also included in the plans.
The council has been awarded £1,297,882 by Active Travel England to develop the Manchester Road, Wilmslow and Handforth scheme.
Cheshire East Council deputy leader, Councillor Craig Browne, said: "We are delighted to have been successful in our bid for additional funding which means we can now press ahead with a significantly enhanced, safe and segregated cycle and walking route, connecting Wilmslow and Handforth.
"This scheme underlines our commitment to promote active travel across the borough, by providing safe alternative options to the car, for those who are able to walk or cycle. In turn, this can lead to a healthier lifestyle, improve air quality and reduce the demand for parking spaces in some of our town centres."
Artist's impression – What the proposed Wilmslow-Handforth cycle and walking route could look like.
Comments
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Just as motorists become impatient of cyclists "blocking" the road, cyclists feel impeded by pedestrians wearing earbuds oblivious to what's going on around them.
For that reason I'm not sure that this "investment" will bring about any real change in travel habits.
The plans for Wilmslow to Handforth are not shared-space. It is a dedicated cycle lane on the road but with physical protection from other road users.
Although I totally understand your comments about shared space between pedestrians and cyclists. They were never a good idea and I think they should be banned on health & safety grounds.
And finally, I'd like to say how nice it is to see you are still alive and well. I was wondering if something had happened to you to stop you from keeping your promise to have a photo-shoot with me