£2m cycle lane and crossing on busy dual carriageway completed

Tuesday, 8 April 2025 09:25

By George Lythgoe, Local Democracy Reporter

Work on a long-awaited cycle lane and road crossing in the heart of Rochdale town centre has finally finished.

The £2m project has delivered a new crossing at St Mary’s Gate – a major dual carriageway between the town centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

It also includes a footpath linking Spotland Road and Redcross Street with separate sections for cyclists and pedestrians.

Safety concerns had been raised locally, with the stretch of road seeing 17 crashes between January 2018 and December 2023, two of which were fatal.

Rochdale Council believe the work will be a significant safety boost, as previously many had tried to walk across the busy road where there was no crossing point.

Rochdale resident, Alan Butterworth, 89, welcomed the changes. He said: “I live in Norden and try to walk into Rochdale a few times a week to stay healthy. This is a huge improvement.

“It was quite risky using this road before, but this will make my journeys much safer and anything which encourages me to keep walking is a really good thing.”

Access to the nearby Hunter’s Lane car park, which sits between Yorkshire Street and St Mary’s Gate, has been improved, with motorists now able to enter and exit via Hunter’s Lane.

The 40-space car park has also been reconfigured to make it easier to use and access.

Wider work to improve the nearby subway, close to the Townhead Junction, is also under way and will complete soon. The subway improvements, which links High Street and Cheetham Street, include widening the opening to significantly improve visibility, repainting and cleaning the inside and boosting the lighting.

Coun Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways at Rochdale Council, said: “St Mary’s Gate is a major gateway into Rochdale town centre and it’s very well used, so these improvements are massively welcome.

“Before we delivered this project, pedestrians and cyclists were having to either use the subway, or risk crossing a busy junction without proper facilities, so this scheme will substantially improve safety and make it easier for people to travel in and out of our vibrant town centre and enjoy everything it has to offer.

“The changes have also created facilities for cyclists for the first time, so we’re making it easier for people to get active and choose healthy travel choices, if they are able to.”

The council’s environmental team will be undertaking planting along the verges in the near future, to enhance the appearance of the area and finish off the scheme.

More from Local News

Heywood’s ‘Willy Wonka’ moment as gala photos look very different to flashy AI advert

A Heywood gala has been compared to Glasgow’s infamous Willy Wonka experience after photos from the event showed a considerably smaller set-up than the colourful promotional artwork.
Wildlife mural created in Middleton as part of Kenya arts exchange

Artists from Rochdale and Kenya have created a 15-metre-high wildlife mural on Brook House in Middleton town centre.
Littleborough and Wardle brass bands prepare for national finals

Littleborough Brass Band and Wardle Community Band have performed their National Finals test pieces at a concert in Dearnley ahead of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain.
Tottington by-election Results

Voters across Tottington, Walshaw and Affetside went to the polls today, Thursday 2nd April, to elect a new representative to Bury Council following the resignation of former councillor Luis McBriar.
Social care worker honoured after saving life of injured police officer

A deputy team manager from a Rochdale-based care organisation has been commended for saving the life of a police officer who was seriously injured while on duty.
Cancer choir calls for new members as rehearsals resume in Bolton

A Bolton choir for people affected by cancer is inviting new singers to join as it begins rehearsals for the new year.
M60 closed near Prestwich after multi-vehicle crash saw two rushed to hospital

Traffic halted and delays expected following collision between junctions 16 and 17
M66 traffic stopped southbound due to ongoing Police incident

Traffic was stopped this evening on the M66 southbound between the A56 and Junction 1.
🚒 LIVE: We join Greater Manchester fire crews in Rochdale tonight for a ride-along

Live updates during the evening as we embed with GMFRS for a behind-the-scenes look at frontline fire service work during one of the busiest times of the year.
🟥 RECAP: Glaston-BURY live updates, photos, interviews and more

Thousands of music lovers descended on Bury during Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August 2025, for Glaston-Bury, the annual one day music festival in aid of Bury Hospice and other local causes. Since it began in 2008, the event has raised over £300,000 and has become one of the town’s biggest highlights of the year.
Thousands attend Heywood 1940s Day as parade and street party return

Thousands packed into Heywood for the town's annual 1940s Day on Saturday 21 June, transforming the area into a tribute to wartime Britain.
RECAP: Parklife 2025 Day Two - updates, photos & travel news

Day One at Parklife 2025 is done, and what a day it was. Over 50,000 people packed into Heaton Park for a massive Saturday, with sets from FLO, Rudimental and a huge headline performance by 50 Cent.