Work starts on Cheadle Towns Fund walking and cycling scheme

Work has begun on delivering new walking and cycling routes to Cheadle as part of the district centre’s Towns Fund award.

The new routes will provide links between Cheadle’s High Street, a new railway station (also being supported by the Towns Fund), and connections to existing cycle routes on Manchester Road and in Abney Hall Park. Routes were consulted on in Autumn 2021 and hope to tackle local congestion by encouraging more people to choose active travel. 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.

The walking and cycling scheme will also link with recently proposed improvements for the A34 Corridor, which bit create a continuous cycle route from the Cheshire East border, through Cheadle and into 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. The Cheadle Towns Fund award will also support the creation of a new eco-business park off Bird Hall Lane.