A group ride-a-long has taken place to celebrate the completion of two major Manchester cycling projects.
After more than four years of development the Chorlton to Manchester Cycleway and the Deansgate and Whitworth Street West Active Travel Scheme are complete.
This means there is now an uninterrupted 6.5km long cycleway from the south of Manchester into the heart of Manchester City Centre.
To mark this, on Tuesday June 10, a group bike ride took place bringing together key stakeholders including Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, and groups who have helped deliver these projects as well as a group of local schoolchildren from the nearby Rolls Crescent Primary School.
Starting from Hulme Park the group rode to the nearby protected signalised junction before making a turn towards the city centre, heading up through the Chester Road roundabout, past the newly installed cycling infrastructure by Atlas Bar, before ending their journey on Deansgate.
For several years the Council, alongside its valued partners across GM, have been pursuing policies aimed at boosting the number of people walking, wheeling or cycling throughout the city.
This work has been delivered in partnership with Transport for Greater Manchester and connects to the wider Bee Network. Funding was secured from the Mayor’s Challenge Fund to help fund the scheme in Chorlton, and the Active Travel Fund for Deansgate; funding was also made available through Active Travel England.
In the Manchester Active Travel Strategy, launched in 2023 one of the primary aims set out by the Council was doubling the share of people who choose to cycle short journeys. However, in order to do this more work had to be done to encourage people to make that switch, as well as breaking down barriers that would prevent people choosing to cycle.
Since the schemes in Chorlton and the city centre have been put in place, there has been a marked increased in people walking or cycling. Between April 2023 and April 2025, there has been an 85% increase in cycle flows through Chorlton and a 38% in walking flows through the area.
The Council is keen to work collaboratively with the neighbouring residents and businesses to ensure that Deansgate remains a vibrant and desirable place to live, work and travel to.
As part of this, we are engaging with partners and stakeholders to develop plans to utilise the space which now runs between the completed cycle lanes and the businesses which occupy the outer edge of the Great Northern Warehouse. We will work together to explore different approaches and gather ideas. Options might include providing additional seating, artwork and micro events, and stands for cycle hire and cycle racks.
More information will be made available in the near future about how the next stage of development will take place.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, said: “We’re immensely proud of the work that has been carried out in recent years to make it easier and more accessible for people to walk, wheel and cycle throughout Manchester.
“As we have seen today, when the infrastructure is put in place, it can act as the key which unlocks people’s ability to get on a bike and choose cycling. We understand that for some people there is a barrier and that’s why schemes like these are so valuable.
“By re-shaping our transport network we are showing that positive interventions do have the power to change people’s behaviour, ultimately helping people lead healthier lives, creating healthier communities and contribute to the wider fight against climate change across Greater Manchester.”
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “It was great to be able to join the event marking the opening of the link to create the Manchester to Chorlton cycleway.
“I was struck by the range of bikes that were using the route, both as part of the organised ride and general public in the area.
“Having routes that are fully accessible for cargo bikes, bikes with trailers and non-standard cycles is so important, so it was great to see this in action.”
