Work has started on a Greater Manchester wide programme to make journeys on foot or by bike much easier and more attractive.
The programme was initially launched in 2019 by Chris Boardman, who was then Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner. He was then appointed as National Commissioner of Active Travel England in 2022. He unveiled an innovative new plan to create a city region wide cycling and walking network that includes the borough of Stockport.
This work has now been carried on by the new Cycling and Walking Commissioner for GM, Dame Sarah Storey.
The Bee Network will consist of more than 1,800 miles of routes, including almost 400 miles of Dutch style segregated bike lanes. It will be the largest joined up system of walking and cycling routes in the UK.
Once built, the network will help to connect communities in Greater Manchester, benefiting 2.7 million people and making cycling and walking a real alternative to using the car.
In support of this ambition, the Mayor of Greater Manchester has given £160 million to the Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund. This has been made possible thanks to the national government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which is investing in public and sustainable transport to improve productivity and spread prosperity.
Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services, said: "We want Stockport to become pioneers when it comes to cycling and walking routes in Greater Manchester.
"Our main aim is to increase the number of our residents who cycle and walk to their destination – whether that be to work or for leisure purposes.
"Creating new walking and cycling routes shows the council’s ambitions to change the mind set of how our residents travel around the borough. Our proposals also showcase our belief in the Greater Manchester Cycle Bee Network and the positives that it will bring to the environment and the region as a whole."