The Government sees more and safer cycling strategies as important tools for cities to unlock a range of cross cutting economic and social benefits that enable growth. In an endeavour to improve the uptake of cycling for local journeys, 60.0km of new, mostly segregated cycle lanes, have been provided in Greater Manchester since the advent of the Cycle City Initiative in 2013. Whilst this goes some way to achieve Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM’s) 2025 ambition for 10% of all journeys within the city region to be undertaken by bike, TfGM expects that they will need to construct another 45.0km of high quality segregated cycle routes by 2018.

The Stretford Cycleway will help realise this objective by replacing several existing discontinuous advisory cycle lanes with mandatory cycle lanes, enhance existing mandatory cycle lanes utilising physical cycle lane delineators, and introduce cycle friendly geometry and economical use of green coloured surfacing at high risk locations. The scheme will significantly improve the experience of new and existing cyclists whilst reducing the risk of cyclist and vehicle conflict.

A proposal to introduce various no waiting and no loading/unloading (at any time) restrictions and no loading/unloading (Monday to Friday, 7.30-9.30am and 4.00-6.30pm) was approved in July 2017 and formally advertised in September 2017. These restrictions were considered necessary to supplement the mandatory cycle lanes that were identified in the July 2017 report.

In response, a total of 5 objections were received to the advertised proposal. The Council has given careful consideration to the objections received. All relevant matters referred to by the objecting members of public have been considered and the Council concludes that the objections should not be maintained in the interests of the effective management and regulation of the highway network and that, consequently, the proposal should be implemented as advertised, as shown on Drawing No. CO00201013-TMU-01 and as described in the Schedules to the report.

1)     That the results of the consultation be noted.

2)     That following careful consideration of the objections and comments received, authorisation be given to make and introduce the Traffic Regulation Order as advertised and detailed in Schedule 1 and as shown on Drawing No. CO00201013-TMU-01 within the report, as soon as is practicable.

3)     That the objectors be notified of the Council’s decision.

To enable the proposed Traffic Order to be introduced and enforced, in the interests of promoting cycling and highway safety.

The non-implementation of the proposals to which objections have been raised would be detrimental to highway safety.