Salford is set to invest £9m in cycling and walking infrastructure to improve city travel.
This spring, a £5 million project will kick off, creating a protected cycleway along Oldfield Road. It’ll connect Chapel Street to Regent Road and include a new junction at Liverpool Street for pedestrians and cyclists.
The funding comes from different sources, including about £1.1 million from developers and support from the Department for Transport through the Active Travel Fund.
There are also plans for improvements at the Chapel Street and New Bailey Street junction, focusing on continuous cycle tracks and footways. This will prioritize pedestrians and cyclists, making it safer for everyone.
Active travel advocates are excited about these plans, saying they’ll help ease road congestion by giving people more options besides driving. Harry Gray from the Walk Ride GM group mentioned that Salford is growing, with many new residents needing better infrastructure.
He pointed out that building more cycling paths has already worked well in Greater Manchester, encouraging more people to ride bikes. The Oxford Road cycle lane in Manchester has seen record usage, showing that these changes take time but are worth it.
Other projects include the Salford Rise scheme, which will create a wide bridge across Frederick Road for pedestrians and cyclists. This project started in November and is expected to finish by summer 2026, partly funded by £13 million from the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
There’s also a plan for a new walking and cycling route along the River Irwell, making it easier to navigate the city center. Salford council and Transport for Greater Manchester were reached out to for comments on these exciting developments.
