The Department for Transport (DfT) has made funding available to Local Authorities in favour of people’s safe movement, health and wellbeing. ​The emergency grant funding known as Emergency Active Travel Fund (EATF), supports local transport authorities with producing cycling and walking facilities.Greater Manchester was awarded £3.1m as part of the bid submission. Trafford Council and One Trafford Partnership have been allocated £366k funding from the EATF to improve cycling and walking options for residents and commuters across the borough.The funding stream is split into two tranches:<li>Tranche 1: Primarily supports the installation of temporary projects in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (current phase)</li> <li>Tranche 2: The creation of longer-term projects (delivery deadline is 31 March 2021).</li>In preparation for the Trafford Bid, an online engagement tool (Commonplace) was launched seeking residents’ views and concerns about active travel interventions which could be introduced to assist in making Trafford more active. Over 1600 responses and 11,300 contributions were received including desires for additional safer segregated cycle lanes, lower vehicle speeds and reduced rat-running traffic.After careful review and analysis of comments received from the community, One Trafford Partnership (a partnership between Amey and Trafford Council) put forward proposals to roll out a series of measures to encourage more people to walk and cycle and with a focus on lowering vehicle speeds and reducing rat-running traffic.Read more about the locations selected for phase one of the delivery plan and the consultation results for the road closures for through traffic and motor vehicles at selected locations: <a href="https://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/Emergency-Active-Travel-Fund.aspx">https://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/transport-and-streets/roads-highways-and-pavements/Emergency-Active-Travel-Fund.aspx</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1596109332/projects/safestreetstrafford/54777ae4-256d-4baf-bfee-2629a22aa3d9.jpg" />

Update: Emergency Active Travel Fund

Trafford Council is working with partner Amey at One Trafford Partnership to create short and long-term options to improve the protected cycle way along the A56, from Dane Road to Cornbrook Road in Trafford, and into Manchester, while retaining two lanes for motor vehicles.The new proposal will seek to accommodate all users of the A56 from across Trafford and follows on from the council’s bold decision earlier this year, where one lane of the carriageway space used by vehicles was allocated to cyclists.Temporary measures were put in place using £5m of emergency government funding made available to Greater Manchester Local Authorities, through the Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund. The pop-up cycle lanes enabled people to keep their distance for safe, essential journeys and exercise during the Coronavirus lockdown.The walking and cycling infrastructure has provided a safe option of travel for many members of the public as an alternative to using public transport due to Covid-19. Statistics obtained from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have shown a considerable amount of growth in people opting to cycle rather than travel by car during the lockdown. The average daily number of people using the pop-up cycle lanes has increased from 102 in June 2020, to 336 in August 2020. This is a 421 per cent increase of cycle journeys in comparison to figures from August 2018.Immense support has been received by the public of the pop-up cycle lanes and many people have expressed that the provision of the new lanes has provided them with an opportunity to take up cycling again and venture out with families, feeling safe to use the A56.However, with the lockdown easing the cycle lanes are being reviewed due to the build-up of congestion. The level of comments about removing the temporary measures on the A56 have recently increased due to the rise in traffic volumes, children going back to school and people going back to work.Cllr Steve Adshead, Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality and Climate Change at Trafford Council said: “We have been monitoring the success of the pop-up cycle lanes and have listened to what the community would like now that the lockdown has eased. Moving forward we will be looking closely at how the adjusted measures will ease congestion along the route while protecting the most vulnerable road users. This will help us move towards a place that we want future generations to be able to enjoy, while protecting the integrity of all road users.” One Trafford Partnership have presented new proposals for the A56 to Trafford Council for their decision, with a view to the new plans being funded from the Emergency Active Travel Fund and Mayor’s Challenge Fund.The short, medium and long-term adjustments will continue to provide a level of protection for cycling, while easing congestion for the A56 and the surrounding network. The council are keen on providing options for all members of the public which will protect the integrity of transport, as well as provide a solution to keep the route from Sale to Manchester in place. Funding permitted, measures will include keeping segregated cycleways wherever possible and keeping the traffic flowing by opening lanes to motor vehicles. This will help deliver Trafford Council’s longer-term ambitions for a cleaner and greener transport network that will support and encourage more active travel and reduced car journeys.The phased approach of the short and long-term measures that will come into effect from Tuesday 15 September 2020 are:· Temporary cones to be removed in the short term from Dane Road to the Chester Road Recycling Centre (Stretford Tip), with a realignment of the road layout to provide protection through this section (to be undertaken as soon as possible, subject to funding)· Upgrade to the existing temporary cones along the A56 to provide better cycling infrastructure from Chester Road Recycling Centre (Stretford Tip) to Talbot Road· Temporary cones to be removed through Gorse Hill along the A56, from Talbot Road to White City Circle, with a view of longer-term plans in the future· Upgrade to the existing temporary cones along the A56 to provide better cycling infrastructure from White City Circle to Cornbrook Road.Further permanent measures are being considered along the carriageway due to the success of the pop-up cycle lanes. For more information visit <a href="http://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/transport-and-streets/Safe-streets-save-lives-in-Trafford.aspx">www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/transport-and-streets/Safe-streets-save-lives-in-Trafford.aspx</a> or follow the conversation at <a href="https://twitter.com/OneTrafford">@OneTrafford</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1600082966/projects/safestreetstrafford/97498a8b-7d88-42d3-942c-ae4c218bcc17.jpg" />

Adjustments to A56 Trafford to Ease Congestion and Protect Cycle Lanes

In many parts of Trafford, pavements are narrow and people walking, and cycling are squeezed into narrow spaces and unable to practice social distancing as required. There are many older and vulnerable people without cars who need more space on roads and footpaths. This quick guide provides further information about modal filters and its benefits.What’s a modal filter?A modal filter is any measure, at a single point in a road, that allows the passage of some modes of transport but not others. The type of modal filter suggested for use in your road allow walking and cycling but it stops other types of motor traffic. Modal filters offer the solution of closing roads to through motor traffic which greatly reduces the number of vehicles using the road, speed reduction, while enhancing walking and cycling. However, access is still available for cyclists and pedestrians. It is extremely likely that a reduction in motor traffic will increase safety. In general, modal filters are placed in such a way that all types of motor vehicles can access properties along a road, but through-traffic is prevented. This immediately makes the road much safer for walking and cycling. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, modal filters offer the benefit of allowing people to walk in the road, while social distancing. People using mobility scooters and wheelchairs are also able to use roads more safely particularly where foot-ways are narrow and sometimes hard to navigate. Modal filters help towards reducing pollution levels and overall traffic levels, encouraging people to make local journeys by foot or bike. Will modal filters affect access for emergency services?The team at One Trafford Partnership always consults with emergency services before installing a modal filter. They are generally quite supportive for several reasons. First, safer conditions on a street mean that there are fewer road traffic crashes requiring a response. Second, the reduction in motor traffic on filtered roads means that they are much emptier when the emergency vehicle arrives, making it easy to drive through.Where is the car traffic going to go?Car journeys will largely take place on main roads, and ideally residential side streets should only be used for access to properties. Decades of studies have shown that removing rat-runs and road space for cars contributes to a reduction in car usage. This will also result in a reduction of pollution and an increase in active travel. The public health benefits for travelling by foot or bike are enormous. What is a temporary scheme?Much of what has been proposed in the plans following the Emergency Active Travel Fund (ERTF) announcement will be put in place as an ‘Temporary Traffic Regulation Order‘ (TTRO) in order to test out ideas on a temporary basis before a decision is taken to keep the filter or remove it. In line with Covid-19 guidance TTROs are being put in place within a limited time-frame but they will be monitored on a regular basis.Will I be able to drive and park my car on a road where I live or work if a modal filter is placed outside my home or place of business?Yes, residents and businesses directly affected by modal filters will not only have access to their homes and places of business, but they will also be consulted by letter and a short survey to provide their thoughts on whether they would like modal filters to be placed in their area.Other drivers will be able to drive their vehicles however they may need to change their route in some cases. Road signs will be placed in any affected areas. If it is an option, people should consider walking or cycling for shorter journeys. What about the needs of people with disabilities?The One Trafford Partnership has a duty under the Equality Act to make reasonable accommodation to ensure that people with disabilities do not experience any disadvantage compared to able-bodied persons, and that will continue to be the case. It’s very important that these schemes also enable more people to walk or cycle, especially people who use hand-cycles, tricycles, various types of cycles adapted for disability, or mobility scooters, and that people with partial sight can safely navigate the temporary changes. Modal filters improve safety for all road users. People will find it much easier to walk, wheel or scoot along a road after a modal filter has been installed because of the greatly reduced amount of motor traffic.Will access be available for taxis, service and delivery vehicles to my business or home?There will be no motor vehicle access through the filters for taxis, service and delivery vehicles. Access for motor vehicles within this category will be from either side of what is ultimately a closure.Residents who work from home for example and have visitors or use taxis as a mode of transport will need to advise taxis to park on the either side of the modal filter.<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/commonplace-digital-limited/image/upload/c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:eco,w_1024/v1596109332/projects/safestreetstrafford/54777ae4-256d-4baf-bfee-2629a22aa3d9.jpg" />

Modal Filters

Help us identify locations to reduce traffic and create more sustainable forms of transport such as walking and cycling.