New road safety scheme hits the road in Langley

Work to boost road safety outside the biggest primary school in Rochdale borough has got underway in Middleton.

The project, which is part of the Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TFGM) Bee Network, will see the creation of a brand new crossing point outside Bowlee Park Primary School in Middleton, which has more than 900 pupils.

The new crossing will be controlled by traffic lights and have two separate sections, one for walkers and people in wheelchairs and one solely for cyclists, to improve safety and encourage sustainable modes of travel.

Double yellow lines will be introduced to ensure that the area directly outside the school on Windermere Road is a parking free zone to further improve safety. New car parking spaces have been created elsewhere to ensure there is no loss of overall parking provision in the area for those who need to travel by car.

In addition, the crossing outside Lakeland Court in nearby Wood Street will be upgraded, to also include a dedicated section for pedestrians and cyclists. The scheme will include a new two way cycle track to link the Wood Street and Windermere Road Crossings.

As well as supporting road safety, the new facilities will complement work done to create new cycling and walking routes in nearby Bowlee Park last year. The new scheme will create a seamless cycling route from Wood Street, along Windermere Road and across Bowlee Park to Heywood Old Road and the Edgar Wood Academy.

Councillor Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “We encourage children and their parents and carers to walk or cycle to school wherever possible to boost their health and support the environment, but concerns about road safety can create a barrier. We all have a responsibility to help ensure that these journeys can be made as safely as possible and this project is a huge step in the right direction. It will make it easier for children to make walking to and from school part of their daily routine and that’s something we all want to see.”

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner, said: “Home to School travel and Road Danger Reduction are two key priorities in Greater Manchester's Refreshed Active Travel Mission, so I am pleased to see the creation of a new crossing that will enable children to walk, wheel and cycle safely across the road safely to Bowlee Park Primary School.

“I also welcome the efforts to reduce the number of vehicles parking directly outside school with the addition of double-yellow lines – this will further improve safety for all children, parents and carers especially those who are able to travel actively during drop-off and pick-up times.”

Work has been scheduled to take place during the summer holidays to minimise disruption and the whole project is expected to complete in September 2023.