In the space of a week in September, two cyclists have been fatally injured in collisions with motor vehicles in our local area. The latest, a Wilmslow resident, was knocked off her bike on Manchester Road. The wrecked bicycle was dragged by the driver into Handforth town centre.
This same stretch of highway saw a cyclist lose her life in 2012.
Manchester Road forms an important link between Wilmslow and Handforth and the villages and towns beyond. It is used frequently by cyclists of all ages and riding experience, including children. Yet it is also a road that, on the latest CycleWilmslow map showing local cycle routes, bears the label "Cycle Lane upgrade due 2022".
For several years, CycleWilmslow has quietly, but persistently campaigned for upgrades to Manchester Road. Despite repeated assurances from Cheshire East Council, the promised mandatory cycle lanes, traffic segregation and regulatory enforcement needed to put an end to the misuse of the cycle lanes for car parking, have yet to materialise.
It is not just Manchester Road. Nor is it just motor vehicles.
On-road cycle paths are let down by infrequent maintenance and are left to decay and accumulate natural and man-made debris. Although they have their place, "shared" footpaths put cyclists in conflict with pedestrians and are too often seen as the easy solution. Purpose-made off-road cycle lanes are reduced to one-way travel by outgrowths and neglected greenery.
All of this is the result of chronic underfunding and, in our view, a dispiriting lack of vision and ambition in local government and national government.
As a community group whose aims are to encourage cycling, represent cyclists' concerns and campaign for better cycling provision, Cycle Wilmslow cannot allow this to continue. Please join us or work alongside us in putting pressure on those who have the power to deliver the high quality and safe cycle routes that Wilmslow's road users deserve. Write to your town and local authority councillors, as well as our MP.
Our thoughts go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives.
Jason Joyce (Chair)
On behalf of CycleWilmslow
[email protected]
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Having noticed that CareUK have recently announced a Customer Relations Manager, I have emailed them in relation to the issues on Manchester road:
"Dear Andrea,
I write in relation to the ongoing construction works at the Long Stone Manor site in Wilmslow.
Approval for the construction works was granted on appeal in November 2022; subject to certain conditions in relation to the Construction Method Statement submitted by Care UK in August 2022.
Specifically this addressed key points in relation to parking and dirt control:
Parking
According to your statement of works - "The yard area will provide parking for vehicles essential to the works."
The current situation is that vehicles associated with the works are parked all along Manchester Road, blocking pavements, disrupting a cycle lane, impacting on neighbours access to residential drives and creating traffic disruption.
Dirt control
According to your statement of works - "Where mud from the site has found its way onto the carriageway, the site team will remove this as soon as it is safe and practicable to do so. Where necessary a road sweeper will be deployed."
Both road and surrounding pavements are significantly affected by dirt from the site and there has also been significant damage to verges caused by the parking of site vehicles on them.
I have been made aware of a number of cyclists raising concerns about their safety whilst cycling on Manchester Road due to the parking issues, feelings are particularly heightened following the recent death of a cyclist hit by a car further along this stretch of road. Also I have been made awae of approaches to site managers who have reported that the individuals parking on the road are nothing to do with the construction, whilst tradesmen parked on the road, unloaded vans and walked onto the site - clearly evidencing that the issue is related to the site.
I believe that the planning conditions may have been breached, and I would ask CareUK to address this as a priority to restore a positive public perception of your organisation and avoid escalation to Planning Enforcement officers.
I look forwards to your response.
Toby Tritschler
Deputy Mayor
Wilmslow
"
She has very quickly replied to apologise and indicated that she has passed it to the Home Manager and the Regional Director to investigate.
No guarantees but hopefully it will have an effect.
The funding from central government has also been obtained, so it is due to be installed in March / April next year.
The left side of Manchester Road (ie the new care home side) will have a bi-directional, dedicated cycle lane that is physically segregated from road traffic. This will ensure vehicles cannot cross into the cycle lane, either by mistake or by parking on it. The opposite side of the road will also have double yellow lines, which will help deter the problem parking there.
This will finally ensure a safe, uninterrupted cycle lane between Handforth and the outskirts of Wilmslow town centre. The final stage of the scheme will run from Style Road, down Cliff Road and into Wilmslow town centre. Unfortunately, this part is not yet funded. Instead, we must apply for it when the next tranche of government funding for cycle lanes is released in 2025.
However, the regional cycling bodies say it will be their main priority for any money the North-West receives. Therefore, this final part of the scheme is likely to be installed in 2025/26.
Mark
Cllr Mark Goldsmith
Residents of Wilmslow