Manchester docking station in February 2026. Photo: ASphotowed/iStock

Manchester to become “City of Cycling” with School Streets in every ward

19/03/26

Five-year cycling plan includes School Streets, community empowerment and widening access to cycling infrastructure to wheelchairs and adapted bikes

Christine Murray

Manchester has launched a bid to become a world-leading cycling city with a five-year plan that includes delivering School Streets in every ward by 2028.

The city’s first camera-enforced School Street launched in February 2026 in Salford with the roll-out accelerating – according to the council’s website there are currently 41 School Streets in Greater Manchester.

The Manchester City of Cycling Implementation Plan 2026-2031 builds on the city’s designation as the European Capital of Cycling 2024 and plans to double cycling as a share of mode of travel between 2023 and 2028, as well as widen access to cycling for people in underrepresented communities, as well as those with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

Recent findings from Greater Manchester’s Walking and Cycling Index 2025 show that active travel is increasing, but that many people still face barriers to cycling, with 30% of residents believing it’s safe for children to cycle in their local area and less than half (45%) of all residents thinking their local area is a good place to cycle.

According to the index, parents and carers are waiting until an average age of 12 to let children travel independently by bike in their neighbourhood, and just 27% of children said they regularly play outside their homes, compared to 71% of those born between 1946 and 1964.

The index found that support for low-traffic neighbourhoods has increased over the past 3 years, with 66% supporting low-traffic neighbourhoods, up 3% since 2023. 61% of respondents are in support of School Streets.

The city wants to get 70% of primary school pupils walking, wheeling, cycling or scooting to school by 2030.

Less than half of residents believe it's safe for children to walk and wheel in their community. Photo: ASphotowed/iStock

The City of Cycling plan also wants to widen access to cycling infrastructure, and commits to audit and prioritise the removal of restrictive barriers to enable access to wheelchairs, mobility aids and non-standard cycles to access bike lanes. The plan also mentions widening access to electric and adapted bikes, and fostering a network of services to repair, recycle and redistribute bikes to those in need.

According to the Walking and Cycling Index, cycling remains unequal. Only 6% of disabled people cycle weekly versus 15% of non-disabled people. Only 8% of women cycle weekly versus 17% of men. Only 8% of the lowest socio-economic group cycle weekly versus 16% of the highest.

Manchester plans to champion women and girls and empower underrepresented communities to get into cycling. The plan will specifically target “areas with low cycling participation and high health inequalities ... using cycling as a tool to tackle physical inactivity, social isolation and broader health disparities”.

Community engagement and activation plans include family-friendly rides, an annual Celebration of Cycling month in June and major events such as the Tour de France Femmes in July 2027, as well as bike libraries and free cycling training.

Infrastructure improvements include installing on-street secure cycle hangars and increasing cycle parking in district centres and high-footfall areas.

The Greater Manchester Walking and Cycling Index 2025 shows walking and wheeling is up significantly since 2023 with cycling trips up from 36.8 million trips to 58.1 million trips in 2025. The proportion of residents cycling at least once per week has increased to 31% of residents, but safety, including road and personal safety, remain "the biggest barrier to cycling."

The city will also continue its roll-out of cycling routes and quiet streets to create a “truly integrated Greater Manchester active travel network across district boundaries.” Transport for Greater Manchester has said it will deliver 176km of Bee Network segregated walking, wheeling, and cycling routes by 2027. Just 17% of households are currently within 125m of a cycling route.

The Manchester Active Travel Strategy and Investment Plan (2023) is set to be updated later in 2026, identifying a prioritised pipeline of schemes to put forward for delivery funding from 2027-2032. Greater Manchester has plans for a 600km strategic cycling network.

Find out more: Read the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s Greater Manchester Walking and Cycling Index and Manchester’s City of Cycling Implementation Plan

Manchester to become “City of Cycling” with School Streets in every ward

Sign up to our newsletter