Women's Cycling Events by TfGM

TfGM has a couple of women's cycling events they are facilitating that might be of interest to those working at MediaCityUK who would like to give cycling to work a go:

Social evening at Ziferblat café (MediaCityUK) - Thu 1 March 2018 - 17:30 – 20:00 GMT

#RideWithUsGM Social Evening - Cycle to work you say?! Talk on Commuter Essentials by Nadia Kerr

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ridewithusgm-social-evening-cycle-to-work-you-say-talk-on-commuter-essentials-by-nadia-kerr-tickets-42713060915

Led rides for a series of 5 weeks commencing from 22 February 2018 - #RideWithUsGM Led Ride - Prestwich > MediaCityUK via Salford Central Station

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ridewithusgm-led-ride-prestwich-media-city-via-salford-central-station-tickets-42605274523

Metrolink Trafford Park Line: Works update for Spring 2018

Dear Recipient,

I would like to provide you with an update of Metrolink work due to take place in Trafford Park throughout spring 2018.

• Park Way
  • The south-bound (off slip) from Parkway onto Barton Dock Road will be closed from 8am to 5pm on Sunday 11 February 2018. The closure is to facilitate emergency highway reinstatement repair works. The work is timed to prevent closing the slip road during the working week when traffic flow is heavier. A signed diversion will be in place with vehicles continuing to Junction 9/M60 and travelling back along the opposite side of Park Way. 
  • There will be two overnight closures on the Northbound carriageway of Park Way between 8pm and 6am, the first commencing on Sunday 18 February 2018. The first closure is necessary to allow for the temporary installation of a traffic safety barrier associated with structural works taking place on the embankment. Approximately six weeks after the installation, the second overnight closure will be required to remove the safety barrier. The date of this is dependent on the progress of the embankment works. A signed diversion via Barton Dock Road, Ellesmere Circle and Ashburton Road West will be in place for both overnight closures.

• Mosley Road
  • Mosley Road (north of Village Way) will be one-way in from Village Way from Thursday 22 February 2018 for a period of approximately 15 weeks. The left slip road from Village Way onto Mosley Road north has now been reopened to facilitate this manoeuvre, however, there will be no exit available from Mosley Road onto Village Way.

• Third Avenue
  • A permanent closure and prohibition of driving order will be coming into force on Third Avenue. It is currently anticipated that these will come into effect on Monday 5 March 2018 and Monday 12 March 2018 respectively but may be slightly later depending on construction progress. Once introduced no traffic will be permitted through from Third Avenue onto Village Way, however, a turning circle will be installed to allow vehicles to exit back onto Trafford Park Road.

• Ashburton Road West
  • Access off Ashburton Road West onto Parkway Circle will temporarily not be available overnight during the hours of 8pm and 6am for a period of up to two weeks from Monday 26 March 2018. This is to facilitate ducting works associated with the final traffic signal installation at Parkway Circle. Please note that traffic travelling from Guinness Road along Ashburton Road West will only be able to travel as far as Longbridge Road but access off Parkway Circle into Ashburton Road West is unaffected.

• Westinghouse Road
  • Following the completion of the above works on Ashburton Road West, access off Parkway Circle onto Westinghouse Road will temporarily be prohibited between 8pm and 6am, again for a period of up to two weeks, effectively making Westinghouse Road one way from Warren Road to Parkway Circle. A signed diversion will be in place with traffic diverted along Village Way (eastbound), Village Circle, Europa Way and Westinghouse Road.

• Trafford Wharf Road/ Sir Alex Ferguson Way/ Victoria Place
  • From early April 2018 a permanent prohibition of driving will be in force on part of Trafford Wharf Road (from the site of the former Sam Platts Public House eastbound to its junction with Victoria Place) and waiting and loading restrictions will be introduced on Victoria Place and Sir Alex Ferguson Way. Once introduced this will see “two-way” traffic permanently reintroduced from the junction of Trafford Wharf Road/Sir Alex Ferguson Way around onto Victoria Place. However, prior to this there will be the need for a number of temporary overnight road and footway closures in the area for approximately five days for surfacing and lining works. Please Note that the temporary but long term one-way traffic on Trafford Wharf Road between Warren Bruce Road and Waterside will remain in place to allow the new Metrolink infrastructure to be constructed.

If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards,

Steve Burns

Metrolink Stakeholder & Communications Manager

Transport for Greater Manchester

2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG

Direct line: 0161 244 1242

Extension: 701242

Mobile: 07884 263 407

www.tfgm.com

Langworthy Road South & Eccles New Road - Temporary Road Closure

Langworthy Road South & Eccles New Road

Road closures will be commence from Sunday 11 February 2018 for a period of approximately 28 nights between the hours of 6.30pm and 1am on the following section of highway:

• Langworthy Road South and the A57 Eccles New Road.

These works will require a number of lane closures and road closures at main junctions along the route. Each phase will last for a period of six consecutive nights then there will be a one night break and recommence the following day for a further six nights and so on for 28 nights.

Where there is a need for lane closures or junction closures local diversions will be in place.

The closures are required to enable essential repairs to the tram line.

Public transport routes will remain unaffected although there could be some minor delays.

Best foot forward for winter walking

From pigs, parks and parakeets to Pokémon and potatoes, there’s something for everyone during the latest Greater Manchester Walking Week.

Taking place from 17-25 February, the Winter Walking Week will offer over 100 free guided walks in Bolton, Bury, Stockport, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

Coordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), with support from many local walking groups and charities, the nine-day event aims to showcase all that the region has to offer on foot.

Comprising a mix of easy to challenging, urban to hilltop and educational to simply stunning treks, the schedule has something to cater for all interests, ages and abilities.

The event will also coincide with most schools’ half-term break and there are plenty of activities to appeal to young walkers, such as meeting the pigs of Haigh Woodland Park, discovering the birds and wildlife of Fletcher Moss or finding out what Pokémon, potatoes and Alexandra Park have in common.

This year, participants are also being encouraged to share their walking experiences via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the #TfGMWalking hashtag.

Chris Boardman, Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner, said: “There are a wide variety of fantastic, free events to get involved with during Winter Walking Week.

“I’d encourage people to lace up their walking boots and explore some of the region’s stunning scenery and interesting past.

“If you’re unable to make a led walk, then why not boost your daily footstep count elsewhere, perhaps by taking a walk at lunchtime, between classes or lectures or even making part or all of your commute on two feet?

“Walking briskly for 20 minutes a day can have many health benefits and if we start to switch short car journeys for walking we can help to cut congestion and improve the air we breathe.

“I hope that, by taking part, people will be inspired to continue walking regularly after the event has ended.”

Rochdale resident Charlie Hill claims that walking regularly has not only boosted his fitness, but has also helped to provide structure to his life following early retirement in 2016.

He and his wife were first introduced to the walking festival events by a friend and, after attending several led walks, developed the knowledge and confidence to plan and take part in more challenging walks.

He said: “The Walking Festival came at exactly the right time and has given us a great flavour of all the different walks and groups in the area. We’ve got confidence now to use footpaths rather than just walking on the roads. I’d have never done a six-mile walk on my own.

“I’m more likely to walk now, for example, from the train or bus station or to meet friends at the pub. Before my wife would take me in the car, but I prefer walking now.”

TfGM coordinated the first ever Greater Manchester autumn walking week, which ran from 21–29 October 2017 and saw more than 1,200 people across the region try a led walk. A survey of participants found that:
• 39% hadn't been on a led walk in the last 12 months
• 79% claimed that attending a walk as part of the autumn walking week has encouraged them to walk more
• 93% claimed that they would be likely to attend another led walk in Greater Manchester

The full Winter Walking Week schedule is now available on www.tfgm.com/walking and printed brochures can be found at libraries, leisure centres, GP surgeries and tourist information centres across Greater Manchester.

Funded by the Department of Transport, the Greater Manchester Walking Week and annual Walking Festival is part of TfGM’s Active Travel programme, encouraging people to walk and cycle more as part of their daily routine.

On the right track, major milestone for Trafford Park Line

Today marked a major milestone for the much anticipated £350m Metrolink Trafford Park Line scheme as the first piece of track was laid at Parkway Circle.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, the Leader of Trafford Council, Councillor Sean Anstee and Chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Committee, Councillor Andrew Fender were alongside a number of key attendees to witness this major milestone.

It’s the city region’s first major project to benefit from the ground-breaking Devolution Deal, signed by Greater Manchester leaders and central government, in November 2014. The deal provides earnback funding of up to £900 million over 30 years and has provided funding for the £350 million Trafford Park Metrolink line as part of a joined up transport network right across the city region.

Mayor Andy Burnham, said: “Improving public transport in Greater Manchester is a top priority for me. By extending Metrolink to some of the busiest visitor attractions in Greater Manchester, we can give people a real alternative to driving and help reduce traffic congestion.

“The Trafford Park Line is one of the first schemes to benefit from Greater Manchester’s devolution agreement and it is great to be here and witness this major milestone and the first piece of track being laid.

“Metrolink plays a pivotal role in connecting people to job, leisure and retail opportunities and this extension through Europe’s largest trading estate to Event City and intu Trafford Centre will only enhance this further.”

Leader of Trafford Council, Cllr Sean Anstee, said: “Trafford Park and areas around the Trafford Centre are vitally important to our local economy; they provide tens of thousands of jobs, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors and help to deliver continued growth, investment and regeneration, so I can’t emphasise enough the importance of this scheme.

“To witness the first piece of track being laid here at Parkway Circle is a great achievement and a real sign of progress for what will be a key tram service for the people of Trafford and far beyond.”

The line will have six new tram stops, offering sustainable transport links to some of Greater Manchester’s busiest visitor destinations including intu Trafford Centre, EventCity, Imperial War Museum North and Old Trafford football stadium. It will also run through Trafford Park, Europe’s largest trading estate and home to more than 1,300 businesses employing over 35,000 people. Trams will run on a largely traffic-free, segregated route, meaning reliable journey times during peak hours and for major sporting, business and cultural events.

Chair of the TfGM Committee, Cllr Andrew Fender, said: “Following the recent major expansion of the Metrolink network and completion of the second city crossing, it's great that we have been able to maintain the momentum with building the Trafford Park line. It's ever more important for TfGM to provide sustainable public transport alternatives to better serve our communities now and into the future.”

Construction work began in late 2016 and the new line is due to open in 2020. Services will run from intu Trafford Centre through Manchester city centre to an improved stop at Crumpsall.

For more information about the Trafford Park Line, you can visit the Trafford Park line website.

Walking Week Winter 2018

Walking Week is back, giving you a choice of over 100 walks across all ten districts of Greater Manchester this winter.

Taking place from 17-25 February 2018, there will be a huge variety of walks. Whether it’s a lunchtime stroll in the city or a hike in the hills, get your colleagues together for some team-building time.

The full schedule is now available on tfgm.com/walking and you’ll see printed brochures cropping up throughout the region in libraries, leisure centres, GP surgeries and tourist information centres. The organisations and walking groups which have kindly volunteered to deliver the walks will be sharing the details too.

The walks will also be featured on Facebook—facebook.com/TfGMWalking—so like our page to be in the know.

Some of the highlights for families include:

• The Pig Trail Family Walk where you can learn all about the pigs living in the grounds of Haigh Woodland Park
• I Spy the Bridgewater Canal, a family walk with a spotter sheet to see what you can 'I Spy' along the Bridgewater Canal in Salford
• Modern History of the Northern Quarter to learn about the creation of the Northern Quarter as we know it today. Looking at its art trail from the 1990s, the walk will piece together its modern history. A walk looking not only at art but public space, active community groups, and gentrification.
• Pokemon and Potatoes in the Park. Download the Pokémon Go app to your mobile device and come along to Oldham's award winning Alexandra Park where we will search for the virtual creatures before returning to the Hub for jacket potatoes cooked in the outside oven.

Looking to improve your fitness? Take on our shorter, easier walks it and could be the first step to a new, more active you!

And the more experienced walker will find a few trails to pique their interest, be it getting out and about in the valleys and hills of the West Pennine Way to the scenery of Rivington Pyke.

And if you’re concerned about wintry weather conditions, not even Storm Brian could deter some of our hardy Greater Manchester residents during our autumn event, as one participant declared:

“It was foggy, windy and rained so much we all got soaked…but I absolutely loved it!”

So although we will be hoping for crisp, dry days, be prepared to have a blast whatever the weather!

Click Here to find your next walk !