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 !

Cyclists, TfGM needs your help!

Hi Everyone,

I am currently overseeing a project which involves creating an online bicycle user group for those that cycle, or would like to begin commuting by bike, to MediaCityUK. The objective is that all of the cycling information related to cycling to/from MediaCityUK and its environs will become centralised and the new website will be used to connect, promote and encourage bike users within MediaCityUK.

I’d like to meet / hear from those existing cyclists with a view to canvas opinion of what you would like to see on the proposed BUG to ensure that it serves the needs and expectations of the user group.

If this sounds like something with which you would like to get involved, I’d very much like to hear from you. Please let me know if there are any existing BUG meetings at your site, which I can then attend. I would be happy to come along and meet with any of you. As an additional aspect, there is an opportunity for those who are looking to start cycling, but would benefit from some extra support to feature as a case study on the BUG and become a role model for potential future cycle commuters.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Faye Drinkwater
Active Travel Officer
Transport for Greater Manchester
2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG
Direct line 0161 244 1461 Extension 701461
www.tfgm.com/cycling

Women’s cycling campaign 2018 – social evening – Ziferblat Café

TfGM and female cycling group Team Glow will be holding an informal café social evening with a focus on helping out those who are curious, just getting going or have no idea with where to start with cycling!

Where? Ziferblat Café, MEZZANINE, Tomorrow Building, MediaCityUK, Salford, M50 2AB,

Date and time? 01/03/18 -  17:30 – 20:00

Commuter essentials talk

A talk about breaking the habit and starting to cycle to work to include tips on route planning, finding a buddy, finding somewhere to park and how to organise your work wardrobe essentials, kit purchases, luggage transportation, basic road positioning and sign posting for cycle training.

Additional info

- Free entry

- Hot beverages and light refreshments will be provided free of charge

We hope to see you there! 

Faye and Amanda from TfGM

Metrolink: Trafford Park Line - Park Way lane reduction

Dear Recipient,

We are writing to you to provide an update on some forthcoming work in the Parkway Circle area as part of the Metrolink Trafford Park Line scheme.

As part of our ongoing work programme in the Park Way area, we need to carry out permanent earth works to the northbound Park Way embankment area located either side of the Bridgewater Canal Bridge structure. This will require the reduction of the traffic running lanes on Park Way from two to one on the northbound carriageway towards Parkway Circle for a period of approx. 8 weeks from Sunday 21 January.

This will result in:

• One lane only in operation towards Parkway Circle (Northbound) past the “pinch-point” at the Bridgewater Canal Bridge, near the Barton Dock Road slip road.

We appreciate this may cause some inconvenience but unfortunately due to the nature of this work, we are unable to operate two lanes whilst the essential earthworks and structural works are carried out for safety reasons. We will continue to monitor traffic management measures as we carry out the work and amend the works where practicable. Highway users may wish to seek alternative routes during this time or avoid peak travel times if possible.

All work is agreed in partnership with Trafford Council as the local highways authority.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the above, or feel you or your business would benefit from a meeting or information event, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team at MetrolinkTPL@tfgm.com or call us on 0161 244 1555 (lines open during office hours).

Kind Regards

Metrolink

Samantha Wallace
Senior Communications Officer

Metrolink

Transport for Greater Manchester

2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG

www.tfgm.com