Chapel Street improvement plan to ‘rebalance the space in favour of pedestrians and cyclists’’

A section of Chapel Street, between New Bailey Street and Blackfriars, will get a revamp under plans to boost walking and cycling routes around the city.

New cycle tracks and footways giving pedestrians and cyclists priority over side roads are planned, as well as improved crossing points along the street.

Chapel Street

It aims to give residents more choices for getting around Salford without having to rely on driving everywhere, with work planned to start this April lasting until February 2026.

The design will also spruce up the area with improved footways, new trees, and plants.

Funding for the project comes from the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund.

Salford council said the work will ‘rebalance the space in favour of pedestrians and cyclists’ alongside the existing traffic.

The route is one of the busiest in the city, cutting through the Greengate area and through to Manchester city centre and with access to Salford Central railway station.

£3.8m of improvements

Works are due to begin this year after a £3.8m contract was given to Eric Wright Civil Engineering last September to bring the plans to life.

But in December the firm said it was withdrawing from the deal, leaving the council urgently looking for ways to get the work started.

Transport bosses say the project can move ahead and has lined up plans to appoint AE Yates to carry out the work, which is set to be confirmed at a meeting next week in a contract worth £4.2m.

Cycling upgrades in Deansgate

Over the River Irwell in Manchester, cycling upgrades have also been taking place on Deansgate where work started in August to upgrade bike lanes and make the road a one-way, southbound-only route for motorists heading out of town.

Elsewhere in Salford, plans are on the way to build a huge walking and cycling bridge across Frederick Road, in a scheme called Salford Rise, as well as a walking and cycling path between Salford Quays and the city centre.

Salford mayor Paul Dennett said last year that the works on Chapel Street will make the city a better place to work and live.

He added: “The works are part of a long-term plan for the city centre which is designed to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists with better road crossings and cycling provision.

“Public realm improvements will also support the wider regeneration of the area to make it a much more attractive area for people.”