Thursday 1 November 2012

Salford: "Cycle of investment to boost jobs"

A Press Release from Salford Council promises a significant impact with only twice the amount of money that has created 200 parking spaces in Manchester City Centre.

Press Release

01 November 2012

For Immediate Release

Cycle of investment to boost jobs

Over £1m is to be invested in creating safer cycle routes in Salford to help local residents get on their bikes to work.

Salford City Council is planning to invest around £1.2m over the next three years in creating cycle routes on and alongside roads and improving safety at crossing points. Funding will come from the government’s local sustainable transport fund.

The aim is to improve routes within easy cycling distance of Salford Quays and MediaCityUK to help local people access jobs. Over 13,000 jobs have already been created in the area and more investment is in the pipeline.

One route alone, along the River Irwell, could take up to 1000 car journeys a day off congested roads by linking major regeneration projects at Salford Central and Greengates with Salford University and the Quays.

“Areas such as Pendlebury, Kersal and Broughton are within five kilometres and easy reach of the Quays but have limited or no direct bus services and low car ownership,” said Councillor Derek Antrobus, assistant mayor for strategic planning.

“Providing good quality, safe cycle routes to the Quays makes it easier for local people to reach jobs in this area and for visitors to reach leisure and shopping facilities such as Ordsall Hall, the BBC, the Imperial War Museum and Manchester United FC.

“Linking Irwell River Park to the University of Salford and down to Salford Quays with an eight kilometre cycle route will also provide easy access to and from major development sites, including Greengate, Salford Central, Middlewood Locks and Pomona, as well as the Quays themselves.”

The work will include: A 1.8km two way, off road cycle route along the A5063 Broadway, the main traffic route to the Quays, and improvements to its junction with South Langworthy Road.

A cycle route from the University of Salford to Salford Quays, which links in with £10m worth of traffic calming schemes on the A6, and runs along Trafford Road to link up with Broadway.

A shared pedestrian/cycle path along Regent Road, which is currently unpopular with cyclists due to heavy traffic, and improved cycle routes along Langworthy Road and Weaste Lane which will also link with Broadway.

Alongside this the Council aims to improve cycling along the River Irwell to the north of the University of Salford in a bid to take up to 1000 car journeys a day off the roads.

Improvements will be carried out to bridges, junctions, signs and crossings along the route as well as creating a path to be shared by cyclists and pedestrians between Woden Street and Fairbrother St, Ordsall. Irwell River Park will also become part of the National Cycle Network as route NCN 556 and will link Salford Quays to Salford Central Station, Salford University, the A6 Chapel St and new developments at Salford Central and Greengate.

Salford City Council Public Relations
Tel: 0161 793 3410
Email: public.relations@salford.gov.uk

Visit us at http://www.salford.gov.uk/council/pressreleases.htm

Let's hope there aren't more of these.





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