Roads for buses, cycles and pedestrians only

Cheshire East Council is planning to close nine roads to motor traffic – leaving them free for cycles and pedestrians only.

The Council believes the schemes will “help to reserve capacity on public transport for those who really need it and should help to reduce congestion on some key routes to schools” – although quite how this will happen is beyond ilovemacc.

The Council’s idea is to encourage people out of their cars and onto cycles and their feet.

Quite what the elderly and disabled are supposed to do we’re unsure.

We understand further schemes are being developed. 

The first nine active travel schemes, totalling investment of £155,000, will be located locally at:

• Macclesfield town centre – improved access for cycles;
• Ivy Road, Macclesfield – through traffic restricted to buses, cyclists and pedestrians;
• Hawthorn Lane, Wilmslow – through traffic restricted to cyclists and pedestrians;
• Old Middlewich Road, Sandbach – 20mph zone and parking suspension;
• Ladies Mile, Knutsford – through traffic restricted to cyclists and pedestrians; and
• Lodge Road, Alsager – through traffic restricted to cyclists and pedestrians.

The council aims to develop a series of projects, informed by discussions with town and parish councils and ward members, that will be delivered in coming weeks, including:

• Pop-up cycle lanes, with protected spaces for cycling;
• Measures to reduce rat-running in streets;
• Improved walking and cycling routes to school;
• Safer junctions, with the potential for bus and cycle-only corridors;
• Implementing lower speed limits; and
• Wider pavements, which also enables social distancing. 

Schemes being considered as part of the second phase of active travel improvements to be constructed in the Autumn, subject to the Council receiving DfT funding include: 

• Manchester Road between Wilmslow and Handforth;
• Vernon Way, Mill Street and Nantwich Road in Crewe;
• Black Lane, Manchester Road and Sunderland Street in Macclesfield;
• High Street in Sandbach;
• West Street and Mill Street in Congleton;
• Various streets on the Knutsford Revolution Cycle Route;
• London Road between Alderley Edge and Wilmslow;
• St Ann’s Road in Middlewich 

Detailed plans for active travel measures can be found on the Cheshire Active Travel website.