British Cycling is supporting to secure £20 million government funding to deliver a generational shift in levels of cycling across the city. British Cycling’s Chris Boardman is backing Velocity 2025 - Greater Manchester’s plans to turn cycling into the transport mode of choice by creating seven high quality routes supported by additional cycle friendly measures.
TfGM – the city’s transport authority – believes that, if successful, the funds will unlock up to ten times that amount over the next decade or so as the city region delivers a remarkable, strategic programme of change. Any central government funding would be matched by Greater Manchester partners and TfGM believes that the Cycle City Ambition Grant will deliver £10 per head investment over the next two years.
One of the seven routes – the Ashton Canal Cycleway - will run from the heart of the city centre direct to the home of British Cycling at the National Cycling Centre.
The bid document aims is for cycling to make up 10% of all journeys by 2025 – a three fold increase on current levels.
The bid also states that Greater Manchester will commit to mainstreaming cycling into all city region strategies including the development of new planning design guidance that ensures cycling is considered at every stage of development.
British Cycling was closely consulted during creation of the bid and will also support Greater Manchester’s ambition to hold a world class ‘Cyclefest’ here in our city its home city.
In his foreword to the report, British Cycling’s Chris Boardman said:
"The headline of the plan is clear – a series of strategic and largely segregated cycleways that reach into the heart of the city"
British Cycling's Chris Boardman
“This is as much about people and the cities they live in as it is about our chosen mode of transport. If we want to make our cities great places to live and work, if we want them to embrace sustainability, then cycling has to be a critical part of the mix, and that’s why we are so supportive of Greater Manchester’s Velocity 2025 plan.
“The headline of the plan is clear – a series of strategic and largely segregated cycleways that reach into the heart of the city, connected to other off road routes and supported by a programme of education, training and promotion to create a true culture of cycling. These are supported by measurable targets for us all to aim for.
“There’s detail on cycle safety, on the need to keep focused on other elements of active travel such as walking and on the vital importance of making cycling available to all, whether young or old and from all walks of life. It’s great to see that the bid includes the development of new planning design guidance that ensures cycling is considered at every stage of development and the use of 20mph zones which are the single most effective intervention for improving cycle safety.
"Manchester is the home of British Cycling so we’re a world class city in terms of elite performance, now we need to replicate this ambition for the everyday cyclist"
British Cycling Chief Executive Ian Drake
“British Cycling’s vision is to succeed on the world stage and in so doing to inspire more people to enjoy riding their bikes more often, be it for sport, recreation or transport. It’s exciting, it’s positive and it’s all about the future; and that’s why it’s such a great fit with the future plans for Greater Manchester.”
Commenting on the plans, British Cycling’s Chief Executive, Ian Drake, said:
“Manchester is the home of British Cycling so we’re a world class city in terms of elite performance, now we need to replicate this ambition for the everyday cyclist. I commend Transport for Greater Manchester for coming up with a plan to triple the number of people cycling in the city over the next decade and we look forward to offering our continued support.”
Greater Manchester has launched a public pledge campaign to win support for the bid among the 2.6 million people who live in Greater Manchester. Support the pledge here.
