Current proposals

1. The Mayor's Challenge Fund

Work has started on a Greater Manchester-wide programme to make journeys on foot or by bike much easier and more attractive.

In support of this ambition, the Mayor of Greater Manchester has allocated £160 million to the Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund (MCF).

The network will be made up of more than 1,800 miles of routes and will be the largest joined-up system of walking and cycling routes in the UK.

The following schemes in Stockport were subject to public consultation in October to November 2019. You can read the consultation report.

The area committees approved each proposal, and the delivery of the schemes, subject to individual funding, began in Autumn 2020.

The Heatons Cycle Links

A package of measures to create a series of quiet routes for pedestrians and cyclists between the Manchester Cycleway (Fallowfield Loop) and the Trans-Pennine Trail at Heaton Mersey. It includes:

• quiet residential streets
• off road paths
• new crossings to get across busy roads

Works are complete in Meadow Gardens. The bridge over the Black Brook has now been completed, which links to the new path that has been laid on Nelstrop Road North, that links to the Fallowfield Loop.

A new crossing on Wellington Road North, near to the McVities factory, has been installed, while a new Sparrow Crossing on Didsbury Road, close to the Griffin Hotel helps cyclists and walkers connect to the Trans Pennine Trail.

Funding has now been approved to create new routes in Heaton Mersey Common, which forms part of the Heatons Cycle Links.

Heaton Cycle Links - Heaton and Reddish Area Committee

Lower Bredbury to Brinnington

A walking and cycling route to link Brinnington and the Trans-Pennine Trail with Stockport town centre. The scheme will upgrade existing footpaths from Brindale Road to Welkin Road to allow use by cyclists, equestrians and pedestrians. A new path will be created next to Welkin Road, leading to Stockport Road West.

Lower Bredbury to Brinnington - Werneth Area Committee

Offerton to Stockport

A new walking and cycling route providing a link between Offerton and Stockport town centre that avoids busy roads has now been completed.

The crossing on Offerton Lane has been upgraded as well as routes through St Thomas’ Recreation Ground. New crossings have been installed on St Mary’s Way and Waterloo Road.

A new crossing on Hempshaw Lane at the entrance to St Thomas’ Recreation Ground has also been created as part of the route.

Offerton to Stockport - Stepping Hill Area Committee and Central Stockport Area Committee

You can view a map of the walking and cycling route on our document page.

Hazel Grove Links

A package of measures to link communities by increasing walking and cycling use on off-road routes and local roads around Hazel Grove.

Works to improve the west-east route across Torkington Park, between Torkington Road and Lingfield Avenue, is now complete.

Hazel Grove Links - Stepping Hill Area Committee and Marple Area Committee

Bramhall Park to A6

The scheme will link Bramhall Park to Simpson’s Corner in Hazel Grove and is 4.1km in length. It will be part of the ‘Stockport East – West Cycle Route’ that will stretch from High Lane to Gatley.

It links residential areas in Hazel Grove and Bramhall with Hazel Grove Leisure Centre and Hazel Grove High School. It also links to the shared use path on the A555.

Construction of the route is now complete.

Bramhall Park to A6 - Stepping Hill Area Committee and Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme South Area Committee PDF document

A555 Community Links

Four new links between the existing path along the A555 and residential areas, schools, retail, and employment areas in Bramhall, Heald Green and Cheadle Hulme.

The scheme includes:
• changing the existing Public Rights of Ways to bridleways
• the creation of new bridleways
• new controlled crossings at locations where routes for pedestrians and cyclists cross busy roads
• provision of an improved cycle route and footpaths between Newlands Avenue and Woodstock Avenue.

One of the Community Links is a continuous route between the A555 and Cheadle Hulme. This runs via paths on the A34, the recently installed and improved crossings at Stanley Road and Gillbent Road, and the new 20mph speed limit in the St James’ High School estate west of Gillbent Road.

Works are now complete to widen, resurface and light the passageway between St James’ Way and Rushside Road.

A new route across Woodford Recreation Ground, linking to the A555 cycleway, has also been finished. In addition, we have been trialling solar studs on this route.

A555 Community Links - Cheadle Area Committee and Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme South Area Committee PDF document

Crossings Package, Cheadle Hulme

The scheme includes new signalised crossings for cyclists and pedestrians across busy roads to improve access to the wider walking and cycling network and better access to local facilities.

We have built two new sparrow crossings on Councillor Lane (near Tarvin Road), Bird Hall Road and Councillor Lane (at Calderbrook Drive, with a link to Adswood Park).

• Cheadle Hulme Crossings - Cheadle Area Committee and Central Stockport Area Committee

Romiley to Stockport East

The proposed walking and cycling route avoids busy roads as part of a plan to make active travel the number one choice for travelling to work, to school and to the shops for residents in Romiley and Bredbury Green.

The scheme was originally developed and consulted under the Mayor's Challenge Fund but the approval for its delivery was given by the Department of Transport's Active Travel Fund (Tranche 4).

• An upgrade of an existing Puffin Crossing to a Sparrow Crossing near to Central Drive.
• New Toucan Crossing on Compstall Road close to Birch Avenue and on Stockport Road near Green Lane.
• Improvements to an east-west route from Oakwood Road to Green Lane including junction, footway and path improvements.
• A 20mph speed limit on roads between the Peak Forest Canal and Compstall Rd/Stockport Rd; and on the Overdale Road estate.
• Creation of a segregated cycle route on Green Lane and Hurstheads Lane.
• A new Toucan crossing on Hatherlow with connections to Hurstheads Lane and Overdale Road.

Funding for the route was confirmed in May 2023.

A consultation on the proposals ran during Summer 2021. Documents relating to that are on our Consultation Portal.

Map of Stockport's Mayoral Challenge Fund Schemes

You can use our map to find the current schemes in your area. The areas marked by red dotted line rectangles show where work is currently taking place or has recently been completed. By clicking on these areas, you can view the plans for that section of the route.