Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has set out funding proposals of £69.5 million for transport improvements across the city-region.
Proposals are aimed at improving rail, bus and Metrolink connections across Greater Manchester, as well as delivering more electric vehicle charging points, and deliver on the Mayor’s Our Network transport vision.
The almost £70 million of planned investment from the Transforming Cities Fund 2 hopes to help better connect communities across the city-region as part of efforts to support recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic, and deliver on environment commitments. The initial Transforming Cities Fund of £243 million included development of the Bee Network of walking and cycling routes.
Proposals in Stockport included in the scheme include implementation of the Stockport Station Masterplan and packages to support town centre accessibility, as well as £7 million towards Network Rail’s improvements to Greek Stree Bridge and match-funding for the council’s roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Elsewhere in the city-region, the £69.5 million fund will also support enhancement to bus routes, and fund the groundwork of setting out business cases for a number of additional tram and train stations. Full proposals can be viewed on the GMCA website.
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:
Throughout the pandemic public transport has been critical in ensuring we could all continue to access essential shops and services and for our key workers to get to their jobs. As we look forward to our recovery, I am determined to speed up the delivery on a world-class, integrated public transport system in Greater Manchester.
“This package of improvements is designed to do just that and lay further foundations for Our Network vision for public transport. It will bring new services to communities with some of the poorest links, as well as improving access for people where it is most needed, including developing quality bus routes between our town centres, establishing the business case for more Metrolink stops and expanding our electric vehicle charging network.
“So this should not just be seen as building better infrastructure; this is about providing our residents with wider opportunities, access to jobs, skill and education, reducing social isolation and building stronger and better-connected communities where people want to live and are able to thrive.”
Greater Manchester’s suite of transport strategy documents – which underpin and support the Our Network proposals – will be put to Greater Manchester’s ten borough council leaders on 29 January alongside the Transforming Cities Fund 2 plans. These documents include the detailed Five-Year Transport Delivery Plan and a series of Local Implementation Plans, one for each local authority, which set out priorities and interventions, for specific communities, neighbourhoods and town centres.