Stretford (Manchester) Living Streets Group
Stretford is a town in the Trafford Borough of Greater Manchester. Various parks, and stretches of the Bridgewater Canal, the river Mersey and Salford Quays are pleasant places to walk. The town’s amenities are within 20 minutes walking distance of residents, and Stretford is served by bus, tram and rail services for wider travel. However, walking is hampered by a very busy, noisy and polluted major road – the A56, Chester Road. This road, which links the M60 motorway with Manchester city centre and major sporting venues in Stretford, including Manchester United Football Club, is eight lanes wide in places, and cuts the town in two.
We want safe, healthy, accessible walking routes that all people can use to reach Stretford’s amenities - parks and green spaces, schools and nurseries, shops and cafes, libraries and culture, healthcare and transport links. These routes will have:
- Pleasant, green, quiet, unpolluted streets
- Uncluttered streets where people aren’t fenced in
- Crossings at junctions with priority for pedestrians
- Well maintained pavements with dropped kerbs
- Places to rest, refresh, enjoy and socialise
- Directions and wayfinding
- Active encouragement and support for people to make use of these routes.
Launching in early 2021, our initial plans are to:
- Produce a short, accessible report which outlines our vision for walking in Stretford, highlights key issues and suggests improvements
- Make links with other groups and stakeholders who we can work with to bring about improvements
- Become a trusted partner for the council and other organisations who are pursuing developments in Stretford
- Become a constituted group and apply for funding for improvements
- Grow the group so that it achieves a critical mass that is sustainable
If you would like to see this dream become a reality, please join us! Whoever you are, and whether you can give a little or a lot of time, you are welcome. We have lots of opportunities for you to use your talents and to develop new ones.
