27 April 2009
Work begins on Sale to Stretford section of the Bridgewater Way
Work has begun on the Bridgewater Way regeneration of the canal waterside area between Sale and Stretford. On 22nd April 2009, Cllr Steve Adshead, Mayor of Trafford, accompanied by his Mayoress, Cllr Judith Lloyd, joined Cllr Ken Weston, Cllr Matthew Colledge, representatives from Peel and Sustrans, and Trafford cyclists and local supporters to celebrate work beginning on the Sale to Stretford stretch of the Bridgewater Way.
The contractor J Cooney has been appointed to complete the work which will provide a new Regional Route and pleasing environment for walkers and cyclists along the canal towpath to pass over the River Mersey and under the M60 motorway, connecting with the Transpennine Trail. The 2 mile stretch between Sale and Stretford is part of 12 miles of work in Trafford which will extend north of Stretford towards The Trafford Centre for 250th anniversary of Britain’s oldest canal in 2011.
This section of the Bridgewater Way was one of the 79 schemes within the Sustrans Connect2 which won the Big Lottery Funds: The Peoples £50 million contest in December 2007. A Memorandum of Understanding between sustainable transport charity Sustrans and its Connect2 partners at Trafford Council and Peel in December 2008 which confirmed the partners’ continued commitment to the project and pledged £250,000 from Sustrans’ Connect2 lottery award to improve the towpath for cyclists and walkers and provide a series of links into the community.
Cllr Ken Weston, Chairman of Trafford Bridgewater Way Steering Group said, “We are delighted that work has started on the Sale to Stretford section of the Bridgewater Way route, the first section in Trafford. Once the work is finished, there will be a total of 12 miles of the Bridgewater Way completed in Trafford which will create an attractive route for cyclists, walkers, everyone. Moreover, access for disabled people will also be made more accessible, which we hope will encourage even more use of the canal towpath.”
Louise Morrissey, Director of Land and Planning at Peel said, “We are extremely pleased that work has begun on the Sale to Stretford section of the Bridgewater Way. Once completed, the work will bring a real benefit to the area by opening up the canal side’s access and allowing for more use by pedestrians and cyclists.”
Peter Foster, Regional Director at Sustrans NW said, “We are very pleased to see work start on this important section of the canal towpath in Trafford. Once open it will allow people to get where they need to go under their own steam to the benefit of both their health and the environment.”
Due to waterside construction works we would like to inform the public that the Bridgewater Canal towpath will be temporarily closed from April until October between Sale and Stretford. For safety reasons, the public are asked to keep off the construction site during this time and find an alternative route.
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