Salford Armadillos

The latest TfGM cycling Newsletter excells itself with a dreadful pun to introduce the armadillo demonstration installation in Salford. The tone of the item almost makes one wonder why they should be so enthusiastic about an untried cycle facility.

Where these have been installed they have proved to be rather less than ideal...

Is this the way to Armadillo?

Salford is to receive a cycling boost to fund new routes along main roads. The city will receive £2.1m through the Cycle City Ambition Grant (CCAG) – part of a package of £20m that has been awarded to Greater Manchester to meet the ambitious Velocity 2025 plans.

Over the next two years, the CCAG grant will be used to build a new network of cycle routes, which are segregated from busy traffic where possible and that link up to train stations. Several main arteries in Salford will see new cycle routes in the next two years:

Great Clowes Street/Blackfriars Road
Silk Street/Adelphi Street
Liverpool Street
Liverpool Road, Cadishead, and Irlam station access.

The plans kick off this month with a pilot for segregated cycle lanes along Liverpool Street and Middlewood using the Zicla Zebra traffic separators – known as ‘armadillos’ due to their unique design – which are already in use in America, Spain and France. It is the first time they are being used in the UK outside of London. The trial sections of segregated cycle lane along Liverpool St and Middlewood Street are due to be in place by the end of January.


Zebra Traffic Separator - photo via TfGM

Comments and feedback can be sent to cyclesalford@urbanvision.org.uk

I will go an investigate as soon as they are installed.