t has been another record-breaking year for cycling on Oxford Road, with more than a million bike rides already recorded by September, surpassing last year’s achievement of the milestone in November.
The increased usage of Oxford Road’s Dutch-style cycle lanes is a boost to Manchester’s ambition for people to choose bikes to travel around the city, the current European Capital of Cycling.
The counters were installed on both sides of Oxford Road close to the old St Mary’s Hospital in 2016, as part of Transport for Greater Manchester’s Cycle City programme. Excluding a drop-off during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have measured increased usage yearly with more than 7000 journeys in and out of the Oxford Road Corridor on the busiest days.
The bike lanes have been a part of the transformation of Manchester’s knowledge quarter with the Oxford Road Corridor partnership aligning investment against a shared strategic vision which has delivered stunning improvements to the university campuses, parks and green spaces, cultural offer, job opportunities and nighttime economy.
The success of the Oxford Road cycle lanes illustrates how pedal power can be key to Manchester’s vision to create a healthier city with zero carbon emissions by 2038. Riders who switch from a car journey to a bike can decrease their carbon footprint by up to 83.7%. It is also a positive step in the right direction for the city’s City Centre Transport Strategy, which aims for 90% of peak-time journeys to the city centre to be via public transport, walking or cycling by 2040.
Manchester was awarded the European Capital of Cycling to further boost its ambitions to the benefit of the city and its residents. Manchester is home to the National Cycling Centre, a world-class venue that offers a wide range of cycling provision and is the base for British Cycling and the Great Britain Cycling Team.
The city has a substantial number of capital cycling projects in the pipeline, including the development of a series of cycle hubs across the city, and future projects to upgrade or build new assets to drive growth in cycling citywide.
Greater Manchester is developing the UK’s largest cycling and walking network as part of The Bee Network – connecting every area and community in Greater Manchester with 1,800 miles of safe routes and 2,400 new crossings.
In addition, Transport for Greater Manchester supports hundreds of community-based initiatives to help people become more active through cycling, walking, and wheeling, such as bike libraries and Cycle and Stride for Active Lives groups.
The Starling Bank Bikes hire scheme launched in 2021 and has gained 72,000 active users, with more than 1.5 million kilometres collectively ridden so far. The most popular spot for cycle hires is Oxford Road with the scheme contributing to the record number of journeys and to the ongoing efforts to decarbonise Greater Manchester’s public transport network.
With ongoing investments and community initiatives, Manchester is on track to realise its ambitions of sustainable urban living, where cycling is at the heart of daily life.
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner, said: “I’m delighted that the Oxford Road route has had another record-breaking year and it just goes to show that if you build high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure, people will use it in the long-term and reap all the benefits that active travel brings.
“Creating longer, well-connected routes is one of my priorities as commissioner and I’m pleased that other key corridors such as the Talbot Road improvements in Trafford are following the example of Oxford Road, creating better access towards the city centre from other areas of Greater Manchester.”
Steven Cochrane, Partnership Director of Oxford Road Corridor, said: “Oxford Road’s cycle lanes have not only transformed how people move through Manchester’s Knowledge Quarter but have also played a pivotal role in the sustainability goals of the partnership. By promoting active travel, it is easier than ever for students, residents, and visitors to access the Corridor’s universities, hospitals, workplaces, and world-class cultural offer while helping to reduce our carbon footprint. These developments underscore the partnership’s commitment to being part of a healthier, more connected city that prioritises sustainable travel.”
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment and Transport for Manchester City Council said: “Since its inception the Oxford Road cycling corridor has gone from strength to strength, seeing thousands of people daily use it to commute to and from the city centre. Across the city there are a significant number of cycling schemes in the pipeline, a sign of the Council’s commitment to active travel and providing as many people as possible safe and accessible ways of cycling in Manchester.”