Manchester City Council are consulting on plans for a high quality route for walking and cycling from the border with Oldham to the city centre along the Rochdale Canal.
We strongly agree that there should be improvements for walking and cycling along this route that maximises the benefits and minimises potential conflicts.
Maximising the benefits that local residents and visitors get from this route is important for economic, environmental, social justice and health reasons. However, one issue that has become more apparent over recent months has been that conflict between different user groups significantly reduces the benefits that people gain and acts as a disincentive to active travel and increased leisure walking.
This project has the opportunity to find innovative and equitable site-specific solutions to accommodate the different needs of for example; parents with children, those with reduced mobility, single walkers, walkers in groups, leisure walkers, commuters on foot and bike, those on bikes with trailers, cargo bikes, trikes and leisure cyclists.
Manchester and Salford Ramblers are committed to work with the City Council, the Canal and Rivers Trust and other partners to find lasting solutions.
We have made the detailed points on; Improving the route, Accessing and enjoying the route, Signs and information and green spaces.
On signs and information. we believe that it should be welcoming and positively encourage responsible use.
It is also important that there are clear signs and interpretation where the route links to the wider footpath and rights of way network. For example, the Manchester Green Trail follows the canal from Flash Street to Ten Acres Lane and crosses the canal from Redhill Street.
The canal in Ancoats links to the Ashton Canal that provides significant routes to Clayton Vale, the Etihad stadium, Debdale and the Grow Green park in West Gorton. The southern section of the canal is also close to the important new Mayfield Park developments.
The full submission can be seen following this link.