Council wants to make Northern Quarter greener and safer for pedestrians and cyclists

The public consultation to pedestrianise parts of the Northern Quarter saw a raft of ideas submitted from cyclists and green campaigners.

One of the consultation meetings took part in the Trek Bike store in the Northern Quarter where the council displayed its new plans.

Mark, 28, worker in the shop, said around 20-25 popped in on one day alone to have their say on the proposals.

“It seemed like the council put in a lot of effort to illustrate the plans as best as they could and interestingly the people that came in were really passionated about the project, either for or against it,” he said.

“I remember a conversation about someone complaining about the bus stops at Stevenson Square that would get into the way of the cycling lane.” 

The council’s plans would see Thomas Street become a cycle and pedestrian-only zone while Stevenson Square would become partially pedestrianised. The plan includes creating more cycling feature, more trees and public spaces, pavement improvements, smoother traffic flows and a reduction in on-street parking.

The report ‘Bike life’ from Sutrans shows that just 27% of people think cycling safety is good in Manchester. A police report states that 1,412 cyclists were hurt or killed in accidents on roads in the city from 2016 to 2019. 

Research shows that people riding bikes can save 21,098 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions yearly, which is equivalent to the carbon footprint of 4,489 people. 

The project is part of the Greater Manchester-wide Bee Network, which will form the UK’s biggest joined-up network for walkers and cyclists. The routes will connect every community in Greater Manchester and make cycling and walking a real alternative to car transportation.