Cycling boost for Didsbury
Guest User
People from Didsbury and further afield can now benefit from a number of improved cycling facilities, including a new secure cycle hub, at the East Didsbury Metrolink stop.
Located at the tram stop car park, off Parrs Wood Lane, the hub is ideally located for those working locally or in the city centre, providing secure, covered parking for commuter cyclists and other people travelling by bike.
Delivered by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the hub comprises 20 cycle pods – providing storage for 40 cycles – lockers for storing cycle helmets and other accessories as well as a bicycle pump and repair stand.
People who sign up to use the hub, which is covered by CCTV, will be given a swipe card to provide secure access.
Membership of TfGM’s Cycle Hub scheme costs just £10 per year and includes access to other district hubs across Greater Manchester.
The East Didsbury hub will complement the existing Sheffield stands and Bike Locker Users Club facilities located at East Didsbury Metrolink car park.
A number of other improvements have been made, including the provision of a cycle storage hub at East Didsbury railway station and improved lighting from Olive Shapley Avenue to the railway viaduct and East Didsbury Metrolink stop to Parrs Wood Lane tunnel.
A new all-weather path and improved signage to the Trans Pennine Trail has also been provided from East Didsbury railway station to Parrs Wood Lane tunnel.
The improved facilities complement Wilmslow Road Cycleway, which connects Didsbury Village and Whitworth Park, opened last year as part of the £20m first phase of the DfT Cycle City programme.
East Didsbury Metrolink Cycle Hub is also near the north-western end of the Mersey Valley and Stockport Cycleway, linking Stockport town centre with Parrs Wood, also part of the Cycle City programme.
Councillor Chris Paul, the TfGM Committee’s Cycling and Active Travel Champion, said: “The new improvements and cycle hub are great news for East Didsbury and make it much easier and more attractive for people to use their bike for leisure, commuting and running errands.
“As a handy extra, the cycle hub also has a number of handy, free-to-use tools that can help you with most minor repairs such as removing a tyre or reattaching a chain.
“I’d encourage people to use this chance to make a beneficial, long-term change to the way they travel – by getting on their bikes.”
The district cycle hubs – plus major hubs at MediaCityUK in Salford and City Tower in Manchester, which offer showers and personal lockers for cyclists – have been funded by the Department for Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
Cycle hubs are just part of TfGM’s wider Cycle City programme which includes new and improved cycleways and improved cycling facilities at schools, railway stations and workplaces.
TfGM also offers free bike maintenance sessions and adult cycle training to either learn to ride or improve on-the-road confidence for those who want to gain extra skills to help them get cycling more.
To find out more about cycling in Greater Manchester, including how to become a hub member, visit www.tfgm.com/cycling or follow @OfficialTfGM on Twitter.