The Bee Network Committee is set to approve a drawdown of up to £4.5m for detailed design development on Oldham Road, one of the busiest routes into Manchester city centre. The funding comes from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, a government fund aimed at boosting active travel networks.
Scheme Details and Benefits
The Oldham Road scheme will deliver a high-quality Streets for All design along a 2km stretch on the edge of the city centre. It includes significant bus lane extensions, 2km of protected cycle lanes, four junction improvements, and five new or upgraded crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, all compliant with Bee Network standards. The road currently handles 43 bus services per hour in each direction, and the upgrades aim to improve punctuality and reliability.
Safety is a key driver: there have been 36 collisions and seven serious injuries on Oldham Road in the last five years. The project supports Manchester's Vision Zero ambition to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on roads by 2040.
Wider Context and Community Impact
The area is seeing major new housing developments, including apartment blocks where residents may not own cars. The city centre population is growing, with predictions of an extra 100,000 people living in central Manchester within the next decade. Harry Gray from Walk Ride GM said: "If another 100,000 people come here in the next ten or 20 years as some have predicted, we'll just end up with gridlock everywhere." He added: "It's not just cycle lanes, that's important to say, it's improving the road network for drivers and for buses too."
The scheme is part of a wider £11m package of travel upgrades, including improvements to Wellington Road North and other transport projects led by Manchester City Council. A consultation in March 2026 was successful, and the full business case is due for submission by February 2028, with phased early interventions expected.
Previous Works and Delays
Oldham Road has already seen works in the last 18 months, including bike lanes and new crossings installed around the Wing Yip superstore in February 2025. That project faced delays, finishing in November instead of April. A second set of roadworks on nearby Rochdale Road started in December under the same Northeast Gateway project, which historic pub The Marble Arch said "literally shook the pub and drove customers out."
Official Statement
Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: "Through the Improving Journeys project, we are committed to making meaningful improvements that make it easier for residents to use the public transport network. Investment is being targeted to make bus journeys quicker, more reliable and with fewer delays. But this scheme is about much more than simply travelling up and down Oldham Road. It's about how people move within their neighbourhoods—getting to school, accessing healthcare, visiting local shops and connecting with their community. We are also working hard to improve public safety, in line with our Vision Zero ambition. And finally we also want to enhance the overall environment of Oldham Road, with measures such as greening, improved public spaces and a more welcoming streetscape. Ultimately, this is about creating a safer, greener and better-connected corridor that feels like part of a linked-up city, rather than a barrier between communities."
