Work on extension of controversial cycle lane to start next month

The extension of a controversial cycle lane in Rochdale will begin next month.

The stretch of Manchester Road between Castleton and Rochdale town centre will see a number of junctions upgraded with new crossings and a segregated cycle lane installed.

The £13.5m plan aims to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and create ‘optimised lights’ to monitor traffic movements and speed up journey times along Manchester Road.

Seven junctions are in line for improvements, including Manchester Road and Bolton Road, Manchester Road and Roch Valley Way and Manchester Road and Drake Street. 

A new crossing will also be created across Manchester Road to enable safe and easy access to Highfield Hospital for the first time, with the existing New Barn Lane subway set to be filled in.

The project, which will be delivered by local contractors, George Cox and Sons and J Cooney Ltd, will be delivered in stages over an 18 month period to minimise disruption as much as possible.

 

 

When the first phase of the scheme was under construction, the subsequent traffic congestion caused uproar. Locals even suggested it led to the closure of businesses in the area because accessing their premises was much trickier and parking spaces on the main road were lost.

The latest phase of the scheme is not expected to be as disruptive because this section of the cycle lane will utilise large stretches of Old Manchester Road, which runs parallel to Manchester Road. The extension will go from The Royal Toby Hotel in Castleton into Rochdale town centre. 

The first stage of the project, creating the cycle lane outside the Royal Toby Hotel will start on Monday 10 March will see the road reduced to one lane between the Royal Toby and Tomlinson Street with temporary traffic lights in place and is set to last around six months. Soon afterwards, work will begin near Mandale Park to create a new 30 space car park close to Beech House School. 

In addition, a new crossing will be created close to the junction of Tweedale Street and Manchester Road, to ensure that all three arms of the junction have a safe crossing point. Bus stops on Manchester Road, close to the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and on Tweedale Street, close to the Freehold Estate, will also be upgraded.

Roadworks will be in place on a short stretch of Manchester Road and Tweedale Street to allow this work to take place. That is expected to start on Monday 17 March and last around three months. 

Councillor Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This project will transform a major, well used route in Rochdale town centre, with improved journey times for motorists and significant safety improvements to support walkers, cyclists and people using wheelchairs and prams.

“A number of additional improvements will also take place, such as creating proper access to the Highfield Hospital for the first time, installing a new car park for visitors to Mandale Park and planting new greenery along Manchester Old Road.

“As with all major road projects, disruption is inevitable and people will need to leave more time for their journeys through this area, but this work will be carried out in phases to reduce that disruption as much as possible, and we will keep people informed throughout the process.”

Richard Nickson, TfGM’s Active Travel Network Director, said: “Our ambition with the Bee Network is to deliver a fully-integrated public transport network with safe and accessible connections to walking, wheeling and cycling routes.

“Building high-quality active travel infrastructure is really important to achieving this goal and I’m pleased that work on Castleton and Rochdale’s new Bee Network scheme will soon be underway.

“The series of junction improvements will make it safer for people to cross the road, while the new cycle lane will connect the segregated route for cyclists from Castleton all the way to Rochdale town centre.

“Once complete these improvements will make it easier for children and adults to walk, wheel and cycle in their community, and provide better access to public transport links.”