Work starts on Cheadle Towns Fund walking and cycling scheme

Work has started this week on bringing a new walking and cycling route to Cheadle that will help residents to connect to existing routes across Stockport.

A package of walking and cycling measures has been developed to provide access to the new railway station and High Street and to connect to wider cycle routes on Manchester Road and in Abney Hall Park as part of the Government’s investment in Cheadle via the Towns Fund.

The new ‘North/South’ route was consulted on in Autumn 2021 and will help to tackle local congestion as well as encouraging residents to take up Active Travel to support a healthy lifestyle.

Cheadle Towns Fund Walking and Cycling map from October 2021 consultation

The route will include:

• A new cycle route and improved footways through Queens Gardens from Stockport Road to Newland Road. No changes will be made to Cheadle Green.
• A new segregated signalised crossing for pedestrians and cyclists on Stockport Road between Oak Road and the existing Queens Gardens access road. Access to Queens Gardens will be from the Bank Street junction only.
• A signed, on-carriageway cycle route from Oak Road to Brookfields Park.
• Improvements to the footpaths within Brookfields Park to allow for shared footway/cycleways, including resurfacing and the installation of lighting.
• A new segregated signalised crossing for pedestrians and cyclists on Cheadle Road between Shiers Road and Bruntwood Lane.

This route will link to the measures proposed as part of the recently announced A34 Corridor Improvement Scheme eventually creating a cycle route all the way through Cheadle from the boundary with Cheshire East through to the boundary with Manchester.

Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Parks and Leisure Services, said: “It’s great news that we can start work on these new walking and cycling routes as part of the Cheadle Towns Fund project.

“These schemes provide a fantastic link for residents who want to travel south from the Trans Pennine Trail, through Cheadle village and enabling them to head further south on to the A555 walking and cycling path using our recently completed Mayor’s Challenge Fund projects in Cheadle Hulme.

“We want to encourage walking and cycling as a method of travel for our residents and these new routes will help them achieve this goal.”

Brian Bradley, the new Chair of the Cheadle Town Fund Board said: “I'm proud to be able to support the hard work of Cheadle Town Fund Board in bringing forward these transformative projects.

“First off the mark is a new cycling and walking route supported by the Government’s Town Fund. This will promote clean and safe travel, reduce local congestion, generate health benefits and most importantly encourage people back into Cheadle.”

The Railway Station is currently going through the planning process and is planned to open in 2025.