Walkers, cyclists and horse riders have somewhere new to enjoy now work has been completed on the 4.5-mile path which runs next to the North West’s first guided busway built by Transport for Greater Manchester.
The pathway – which is hoped in time will become a linear park – runs between East Bond Street in Leigh and Newearth Road in Ellenbrook.
TfGM has replaced trees and hedgerows along the old railway line – which is now the guided busway – in keeping with the local environment. Grass and wildflower meadows have also been created so there are open spaces along the busway and a diversity of habitats for the local wildlife to return to.
As well as being a new part of the local area to explore, the pathway also provides new links to other local areas of interest such as Lilford Park and the newly created community woodland at Higher Folds.
There are wayfinding signs along the route and there will be benches to sit and enjoy the views. A local resident who is already enjoying the new views said: “At some points along the route, on a clear day you can even see as far as Jodrell Bank!”
Anthony Murden, Programme Manager for the Busway at TfGM, said: “The benefits of the busway are not just about getting people from A to B more reliably and more quickly, there is also an environmental reward.
“The pathway along the busway it something that from the start of the project we wanted to include so everyone in the community can benefit, not just those who need to make a journey on the busway. It’s something that we hope people will enjoy now, and for many years to come.”
For keener cyclists – or those using the path to make longer journeys to work – the route along the guided busway also links in to National Route 55 at Ellenbrook.
The pathway has been created as part of the guided busway which provides quicker bus journeys between Leigh/Atherton, Tyldesley, Salford and Manchester.
