This year’s Tour of Britain cycling race returns to our corner of the country again, with its opening stage on Sunday 3rd September arcing across Stockport on its way from Altrincham to Manchester.
Infrastructure
Stockport Council has trialled a single closure point to stop queue-jumping on a residential road off the A6 at the High Lane — a move which, if made permanent, could also provide up to half the length of a safe cycling route along this busy travel corridor.
Cheshire East’s new £53m Poynton Relief Road will open exclusively for walking, cycling and wheeling for one weekend only, before opening to general motor traffic from Monday, 6th March.
So long, Long Hill! After over five months of nearly traffic-free peace on the dramatic road between Whaley Bridge and Buxton, the A5004 is now open to all traffic again.
“If the Authority is at all serious about enabling a sustainable future for itself, it needs to ensure that every car park it manages also has secure cycle parking available, in good numbers, as soon as possible.” That’s the challenge I put to the Peak District National Park, and I’m beyond chuffed that they’ve already responded.
Work on the permanent and timed closure of roads around Stockport’s Market Place and Underbanks is nearing completion, with the removal of through motor traffic immediately improving walking, cycling and socialising in the booming Old Town.
Should’ve titled that post Hazel Grove Link, singular. It turns out, the upgraded path through Torkington Park is still the only part of the Bee Network’s most southeasterly project that Stockport Council has funding for.
Stockport Council has begun work on its most south-easterly Bee Network walking and cycling project. Originally announced towards the end of 2018, the “Hazel Grove Links” scheme seeks to modestly improve existing links with path widening, a crossing and filter points.
One of the three-stand cycle racks at Tesco’s High Peak Whaley Bridge superstore recently disappeared, replaced by a random electrical cabinet, halving the store’s already lacklustre cycle parking overnight and just a few years after it was put back to normal.
Stockport Council has caused dismay amongst cycling and accessibility advocates with a draft “access controls policy” for its off road paths which seeks to retain wiggle room to continue installing discriminatory barriers — against both government guidance and equality legislation.