Manchester’s new bus and cycle route almost completed

Manchester’s Oxford Road has been reconfigured as a transport corridor for cycles and buses by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The Oxford Road scheme, which started in 2014, is seeing phased creation of a bus and cycle-only corridor between Hathersage Road and Grosvenor Street.

Along Oxford Road new-style cycle lanes separate cyclists from buses. At bus stops, instead of overtaking a bus, riders can cycle ‘behind’ the stop.

Resurfacing works, which were timed with an existing road closure, bookend the installation of new segregated cycle lanes.

A new colour-coded bikeway features pedestrian crossing points, including a zebra style crossing, to informs riders, pedestrians and bus passengers of the layout so they are also able to watch out for each other. Greater Manchester’s first such lane constructed to these principles was built opposite Whitworth Park last year as a trial and has been in use ever since.

For pedestrians the result will be a boulevard-style space with wider footways and quieter roads. More than 140 trees are being planted, including exotic species not usually found on British streets such as Japanese cherries, sweet gum trees and gingko.

Once the road-works are completed by 9 June general traffic heading into the city on Oxford Road will be unable to travel past this point from then on between 6am and 9pm and will instead be permanently rerouted, turning right on to Hathersage Road.

Andrew Fender, chair of the TfGM committee, said: “This work will completely transform Oxford Road, making it a much more pleasant space for everyone. While these improvements to the public space are long-lasting and to be welcomed, the real purpose of what we are doing is to support the economy and the community by improving connections for people and offering more travel choices and for work, education, leisure or healthcare.”

To accommodate the changes to Oxford Road neighbouring routes along Upper Brook Street have been improved to provide drivers with a permanent alternative route. Local access is maintained from adjoining roads and signage is in place to help everyone navigate the area. 

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Oxford Road is one of the city’s busiest routes and a better environment for pedestrians, improved cycle infrastructure, better bus routes and good alternatives for cars will make travelling this route safer and more enjoyable for all road users.

“To encourage more people to get on a bike, we need innovative cycle ways that make cycling truly viable for any ability, but these improvement works represent a wider ambition to create a range of different options for travel across the city.”

The work on Oxford Road is part of a £122m TfGM programme to deliver faster and more punctual bus journeys to, from and through the city centre. This investment is itself part of the wider Grow initiative – a £1bn package of city centre infrastructure improvements running to 2017. Grow will see the provision of six new cycle routes to the city centre, a new Metrolink line through the city centre centre, rail improvements and bus priority measures.