Connect 2

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First an apology.  The Chadkirk Bridge was erected in 2012, not 2016, so 5 years after Sustrans provided Stockport with their portion of the Lottery Fund. Rumour has it that it was only erected then after Sustrans threatened to withdraw the money as the money  had to be spent within 5 years.

The track from Otterspool Bridge to Bredbury Hall has been considerably improved from those days, probably by some of the landowners, and, once you have negotiated the muddy puddle at the Otterspool end, it is a relatively pleasant country walk but with the usual bridleway problems, so it is not really suitable for commuting cyclists, so unlikely to entice car commuters to change to the pedal cycle,  something the Government is trying to achieve in order to combat Climate Change.

At Bredbury Hall you turn left and head across a field towards the river and the bridge.  Unfortunately the way is barred. Fortunately there is an offshoot leading into a housing estate where we asked whee the bridge was.  It is beyond the barred section but although some work has been done to provide access to the bridge, work has now stopped.

So from 2007 when this route was first provided with the money to complete a route between Marple and Stockport the Council still hasn’t completed it, partly by spending money unwisely and then saying they had no money to complete the project. How much longer are we going to have to wait?


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[CTCREP]

In 2006  there was a Nationwide TV People’s Poll to vote on which of a number of projects was to receive a substantial sum from the Lottery for the winning project.

Sustrans (the Sustainable Transport Group) promoted the Connect 2 project.  Its intention was to allow 2 communities to be linked together that were currently separated by a river or similar obstruction.

Local cyclists persuaded Stockport MBC that linking Marple to Stockport by an Off Road route was largely impeded by the River Goyt. SMBC offered the idea to Sustrans who made it part of 70 other bids from hundreds more that they would present to the Competition as one bid to compete with several other proposals such as an additional Biome at the Eden Project and a Tree Shaped Restaurant in Sherwood Forest etc.

Sustrans won,  and in 2007 the Marple to Stockport route could get under way, at least it should have done, but then SMBC delayed commencement until several years later when, from what I have heard suggested, Sustrans threatened to take back the money allocated to Stockport.

Eventually, nearly 10 years later, in 2016, the bridge over River Goyt  at Chadkirk and half the route from Marple to Stockport was available, but then things stalled again. 

Although it was perfectly feasible to create the link as far as Bredbury Hall and for cyclists to find their own way into Stockport from there - not ideal but better than nothing - SMBC decided they wanted to take the route into Vernon Park, but this would require another bridge which was too expensive.  I have heard that said regarding other proposals.

Anyway  a quote from the Council is:-

“The new bridge over the River Goyt will create not only a new landmark for the town but also provide a new walking and cycling link between the town centre and the east of the borough.
“Once the works are completed, they will link in to further infrastructure work taking place that will help Stockport become one of the best places in Greater Manchester to travel around either on foot or on bike.”
I haven’t seen it yet, but if it is still in the condition Stockport considers suitable for cycling   
  Ii will still only be a Leisure route, not one that might persuade some motorists to cycle to work etc instead of using their cars

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