A NEW 15 point plan has been set out by Cycling and Walking Commissioner Chris Boardman which will change the number of people walking and cycling in the city region.
Cycling is the easiest and cheapest zero-emission form of transportation that has health benefits as well as simultaneously cleaning up the air in the city; it is also the most appropriate form of transport for compact and busy cities.
The #MadeToMoveGM campaign will publish a detailed 2018 walking and infrastructure plan that will establish a 20 year, £1.5billion fund for walking and cycling. This would bring Great Manchester’s spend on cycling and walking in line with other major cities, including London and Oslo.
The #MadeToMoveGM plans will ease congestion, improve health & wellbeing and improve air quality. Chris said: “It will require significant support but the decades of improved living that we, our children & grandchildren will be able enjoy will make it worthwhile.”
— GMCA (@greatermcr) 15 December 2017
Currently, research suggests 77 percent of Greater Manchester residents are in favour of more protected cycle lanes; even if it impacts on other forms of road traffic.
Cycling within the city is easier than ever following the introduction of the ‘MoBike’ scheme in June which made around a thousand bikes available for hire in a move similar to the ‘Boris’ bike scheme in London.
Chris said: “There’s no doubt that this is an incredibly ambitious but wholly deliverable plan to get Greater Manchester moving by bike and walking.
“The Mayor of Greater Manchester tasked me with thinking creatively, challenging assumptions and pushing the boundaries of what should be possible. My proposals, the product of many months of work, will ease congestion on our overcrowded roads, improve our general health and well-being and help us breathe cleaner air in a greener city-region.
“It will require significant support but the decades of improved living that we, our children and grandchildren will be able enjoy will make it worthwhile.”
The Mayor of Greater Manchester pledged in the recently-published Greater Manchester Strategy to promote wellbeing and healthy active lifestyles.
Today, the Mayor said: “When I appointed Chris, I asked him to produce a bold and challenging plan to get people cycling and walking. This report more than meets the test set, and together with Greater Manchester’s 10 council leaders, we are ready to rise to the challenge. It is now urgent, with Greater Manchester being asked to produce plans to tackle illegal air pollution.
Andy said: “Together with GM’s 10 council leaders we are ready to rise to this challenge. It is now urgent, with GM being asked to produce plans to tackle illegal air pollution.” #MadeToMoveGM https://t.co/d6uSTdFOho
— Mayor Andy Burnham (@MayorofGM) 15 December 2017
“Chris has identified the need for substantial investment in our cycling infrastructure and in response, we are aiming to create a challenge fund of around £50 million a year from 2019 to 2021, which will be able to be accessed by our 10 districts if they are building to the required standard and meeting part of the costs. This will go a considerable way towards meeting the required funding challenge and we will provide initial funding next year to get things going.
“Investing in cycling and walking will not only improve the air that we breathe, it will help tackle our crippling congestion problem and improve our health, wellbeing and environment.”
The campaign will rely on partnerships across the Greater Manchester area delivering their expertise such as; Transport for Greater Manchester, Sport England and Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Would you consider cycling more if it was just a short distance? ?♀️#GreaterManchester #MadeToMoveGM #cycling
— Quays News (@QuaysNews) 15 December 2017
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