Why has there been 14 months of inaction on the Irwell Towpath in Ordsall?

Has my ranting and raving on Twitter finally forced some action on the Irwell Towpath?

Hi @OfficialTfGM @urbanvision_uk @SalfordCouncil @VisitSalford
When are you going to fix this cycle route? https://t.co/mJcvjHzCdc pic.twitter.com/EXY8pTXjwZ

— MadCycleLanes of MCR (@MadCycleLaneMCR) March 5, 2017

This path has been closed since December 2015



This morning was the first time in 14 months I have seen work being carried out on the path.



Rubble was being lifted into the area of the collapsed path and raked into position.



On returning this evening it was clear that this was not a long term repair of the towpath but a short term cludge.



Bags of rocks have been placed in the river to provide an outer edge and rubble has been put in between the bags and the remaining path to build the area up towards path level.



The fact that this is a short term measure begs the question as to why it has take over 14 months to get this far?

New Salford Cycle Path - Broughton Bridge to Adelphi Footbridge

Out walking on Sunday I came across this newly constructed cycle track on the northwest side of the River Irwell between  Broughton Bridge and Adelphi Footbridge in Salford.

You can tell it is supposed to be a cycle path because of the (anti-)cycling barriers at the entrance.



I'm not sure whether the path is finished or whether there is going to be a proper tarmac surface.



It is a pleasant alternative to the cycle route on the other side of the river, which at this point is enclosed by a fence.



The fencing certainly doesn't give the impression of being finished. The various cycle barriers can easily be bypassed at the moment.




All too soon Adelphi Footbridge comes into view



and the end of the path is in sight.



There is some hedge laying evident at this end.



The path from the footbridge end.



This location is part of NCN route 6, and the site of one of Salford's worst anti-cycling barriers.



So a short little path with views of the river, pleasant, but not going to encourage too many new journeys by bike.


View Riverside in a larger map

Irwell Towpath - Work In Progress

I got a closer look at the new lighting going in along the Irwell Towpath last night.



In the wider sections they seem to have rewired the lighting and removed the cobbles,



and the graffiti artists have been having a bit of fun.



Whilst in the narrower sections the lamp posts have been removed



and the lighting is in the process of being mounted on the wall.



This makes the path a bit wider, except where they have left the bin.









Beyond the end of the lighting works is a large patch of new tarmac which has been laid very unevenly and if it doesn't get fixed it will not last long.




All in all it looks like a worthwhile improvement, and it will be nice when it is finished.

Irwell River Path Planned Closure

FURTHER UPDATE 1st March

It looks they are replacing the useless lighting along the tow path.

Several of the lampposts have been removed and others look like they are in the process of removal as you can see here.



It's a pity Salford Council don't include the reason for the closure in their notices...


UPDATE

The path has now been closed off




The diversion is out onto the rather busy and unpleasant Ordsall Lane



The other end...



No sign yet of what they are doing

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Was going to post this a while back, but it's been on hold with all the other recent goings-on and unofficial river path closures.

A solitary notice appeared on one of the lamp posts by the green bridge. It is quite hard to spot and has been pasted around 3 sides of the hexagonal post making it rather difficult to read. It has not been made available on the Salford Council web site as the highway orders page hasn't been updated for over 6 months now.

The notice closes the highway River Irwell Towpath between Fairbrother Street and Woden Street for a length of 450 metres from the 10th of February and continue for a period of 3 months....

As of yesterday 14th February the path was still open, but be warned it may be closed off soon.

Last time this section was closed off two years ago there was only gardening works taking place.









Woden Street end, the green bridge.



The Fairbrother Street end.




View Path Closure in a larger map

Locked Gates on the Irwell again

The gates under the Trafford Road bridge were locked all day today.

This was 08:40 this morning



and this was 18:40 this afternoon



Notice that you can access the path on both sides of the gate, so they are doing nothing except pissing off people trying to get to and from work.

Salford City Council should remove these gates all together.


View Larger Map

Irwell River Park: Part 4 - River Park Meadows

Part 3 of the Irwell River Park is still mostly a no-go area for pedal cycles, but part four is somewhat better...




Starting at New Bridge Street, the route is marked by red loops over the path.



The path slopes down onto a boardwalk, turns a tight left and right under Trinity Way,



emerging onto a tarmac path along the south side of the river.



After a while the path kinks left



and then turn right through the gates



and the path turns to a sand surface alongside the river.



This is by far the best path of this route, with wide views an a feeling of freedom from the urban landscape. Here the canalised Irwell of the docks and city center is replaced by a free-flowing river between substantial flood barriers.



Soon however, the path presents bike riders with a problem. At Broughton Bridge, the path runs into steps, so you have to turn left out onto St Simon Street and then right along Blackfriars Road to avoid lifting your pedal cycle.



The route crosses Blackfriars Road on the level with no assistance apart from a traffic island.



Soon after the route opens out into this strange wide path that looks like a rear access road. It is also hemmed in by a brick wall on the left and railings on the right. Despite being traffic free it feels oddly unsafe as if a delivery van is about to come flying round the corner.



At the end of this section there is a traffic-free junction where the Irwell River Path joins the route of NCN route 6.






At this point the path turns right onto Adelphi Footbridge and into a dreadful set of barriers.




If you can get your pedal cycle through this obstruction you drop down onto Riverside,



and then turn right onto Meadow Road.



The road is soon blocked by another weird set of barriers'



and the route turns from a wide road into a flagstone shared footpath.



The path soon becomes hemmed in between the river and back gardens.



The path then crosses Frederick Road - again with no assistance other than a traffic island.




The other side of the road the path is obstructed by another set of barriers.



A short way further on the route reaches St Boniface Road where it turns left over the bridge



and hits yet another set of barriers.



If you can get this far the Irwell River Park ends at Gerald Road, though NCN Route 6 continues.




View Irwell River Park: Part 4 in a larger map