If you've tried cycling the path along the A555 you'll know it's actually a pretty excellent link to Manchester Airport and a vast swathe of south Manchester and Cheshire. But have you tried getting there from Marple?
The Middlewood Way takes you almost there without any traffic, but you've then got to join the horrendous, hostile A6 for 450 metres - worse when returning uphill. I know other members of this forum have stated they just use the pavements, but these are narrow and there's no reason we should've be given a proper space to cycle here, for the benefit of all road users and pedestrians.
Previous plans for cycling here have come to nothing. Though Stockport Council now say a cycle link between the A555 and High Lane is planned as part of their "East-West cycle link", they've made no progress in two years and somehow linking their two best, safe cycle routes doesn't seem to be a priority.
There is now a
petition that's trying to show the strength of feeling to close this gap, and also to provide the safe cycle link long promised for High Lane. This would mean that there'd actually be a real alternative to joining the constant queue of traffic through Windlehurst lights, for those who are able to cycle. It would also make it possible to cycle from Marple all the way to Manchester Airport almost entirely off-road (as well as other places such as Bramhall and Cheadle with links already in progress). As funding for "Bee Network" schemes is dished out, we need to make sure Stockport Council are spending it in the right places and that our corner of Greater Manchester isn't left out any longer.
Please sign and share with friends and family: https://www.change.org/p/stockport-metropolitan-borough-council-link-high-lane-middlewood-way-and-the-a555-with-a-safe-cycle-route
