Member Article

Salford’s transformed walking and cycling routes win top engineering award

A £5m transformation of Salford’s former railway lines into walking and cycling routes has won a prestigious civil engineering award, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) North West has announced.

Salford’s new 28km network of ‘traffic free routes’ has seen a 1,433% [i] increase in cyclists and an 80% increase in pedestrians on sections of the loopline, part of the reason why industry judges have recognised it as the North West’s best Community Civil Engineering project.

The ambitious three-year development saw disused railway lines brought back into use as safe walking and cycling routes in the west of Salford which connect to paths in neighbouring districts. They include Port Salford Greenway, Bridgewater Way, Roe Green, Tyldesley, Ellenbrook and Linnyshaw Looplines, totalling over 17 miles of new paths.

The aim of the transformation, led by Salford City Council in partnership with Urban Vision, was to provide safer routes to shops, schools and workplaces, reduce pressure on roads and promote sustainable travel. It has already seen a 75% increase in pupils at Harrop Fold High School walking or cycling to school.

The project’s award win was announced at the ICE North West Annual Awards dinner at the Hilton, Manchester when ICE president Andrew Wyllie presented the trophies.

Emma Antrobus, North West Director of the Institution of Civil Engineers, said; “Our annual awards showcase some of the fantastic civil engineering that’s happening across the North West.

“In the Community Award we were looking for engineering that has changed how people use the space around them for the better and in turn improved lives. The impact this transformation has had on local communities in Salford is undeniable on health, the environment and local economies and it is sure to continue for years to come.

Andy Stockton, Associate Director Property Design at Urban Vision said “I am so pleased that our work on the traffic-free routes with Salford City Council has been recognised. As a result of providing improved access and new links to Salford’s green spaces we are encouraging all members of the public to move sustainably across the city and beyond, with the potential to realise the associated health benefits that it can bring.”

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said; “It is a wonderful return on the investment the council, our partners and hundreds of volunteers have put into this fabulous scheme which is already resulting in health and wellbeing benefits for thousands of people in our city.”

The ICE North West awards ceremony recognises excellence and imaginative concepts in civil engineering practice across the North West Region. It celebrates recently completed projects, the region’s civil engineering heritage and individual excellence in the engineering profession. Morecambe Wave Wall was Highly Commended in the Community Award Category.

This year’s North West Civil Engineering Awards were sponsored by Tony Gee Partners, GHD, Temporary Works Forum and Mott MacDonald.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Antrobus .