Work on a new cycle scheme in Salford is due to begin next spring, costing more than £5 million in total. The Oldfield Road Corridor will create a new protected cycleway along Oldfield Road between Chapel Street and Regent Road. It includes a signalised junction at Liverpool Street, giving pedestrians and cyclists their own dedicated facilities. Once complete, it will form part of the Bee Network, a Greater Manchester-wide plan to create the largest joined up system of walking and cycling routes in the UK. Next week, Salford council is expected to approve a further £1.1 million towards the Oldfield Road Corridor, of money secured from contributions from developers working in the borough. More funding for the project has been awarded from the Department for Transport via the Active Travel Fund programme. This came after a successful bid to the Mayor’s Challenge Fund, a scheme to help develop and improve walking and cycling facilities in Greater Manchester. A Salford council report stated that the Oldfield Road Corridor is ‘moving towards the delivery stage’, with the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) website stating that the work is expected to be finished by autumn next year. TfGM has described the plan as a way to increase cycling and walking in Salford, and ‘make the area a nice place to live and work and improve and reduce environmental impacts through sustainable travel.’ Councillor Mike McCusker, lead member for planning, transport and sustainable development at Salford City Council, said: “A decision is to be made on spending over £1.1m of funding from Section 106 money to improve the Oldfield Road corridor, and this will be used as match funding for the £4.32m we were awarded by Active Travel England. “Section 106 money is provided by developers to help mitigate the impact of their development on local communities. The money can be spent on things like open space, education, transport or affordable housing. “It is fantastic news that we are able to improve this area. The overall aim of this is to reduce congestion and make it safer and easier for people to walk and cycle which in turn improves health, reduces pollution and attracts people and businesses to the area.” Salford council recently came under fire from the Conservative opposition in the borough over the state of the roads, after Coun Robin Garrido said the council was “spending more on cycle lanes” than making sure the highways were kept in good condition. The comments followed a report from Salford council that revealed more people are claiming money from the town hall due to accidents caused by pot holes and roads left in disrepair. A £3.8 million funding scheme for road and footway repairs was recently approved by Salford’s deputy mayor Tracy Kelly.
