Funding for a new cycling and walking route in Stockport has "disappeared" despite being promised for years, a councillor has said.

Plans for an Edgeley to Stockport town centre cycling route have been in the pipeline since 2019, with a path linking Castle Street to the train station via Thomson Street, before going on to the Transport Interchange.

But a section of the route in front of Our Lady's Catholic Primary School in Edgeley has not yet started despite years of waiting, local councillor Matt Wynne said.

The lack of progress has now caused safety concerns, with the route in front of the school being proposed as a diversion route for cyclists when the armoury roundabout closes for 12 months in March as part of work to replace Greek Street bridge.

Cllr Wynne said the route is essentially a "mud path" and a diversion would send cyclists into "crowds of parents and kids" outside the school during drop off and pick up times.

He urged Stockport Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to fund the work and get the new facilities in place before Greek Street bridge is removed.

"We've got the armoury roundabout bridge [Greek Street bridge] coming out for 12 months from March, and this route that they were meant to upgrade is going to form the primary diversionary route between Edgeley and the town centre", he said.

"We were told [the cycle route] was going to be fully funded before the bridge came out, then we were told it would be part funded, now we're being told that there's no money for it.

"Edgeley residents completely understand that this bridge has got to come out, but it feels like we're getting short changed."

Stockport Council said diversion routes are still being thought through and have not yet been confirmed.

A report shared this month revealed that the main alternatives being proposed for drivers are around Garners Lane/Councillor Lane and Edgeley Road/A560, with pedestrian diversions planned around Thompson Street and Flint Street.

The work on Greek Street bridge is expected to cause 'widespread disruption' when it begins, affecting thousands of people navigating through Stockport town centre (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Cllr Grace Baynham, Stockport's transport lead, said the town hall is trying to find funding for the Edgeley cycling route before the end of the financial year.

She added: "The council has already secured close to £1m of government-backed City Region Sustainable Transport funds to deliver an improved highway scheme on the roundabout following the completion of the Network Rail-led Greek Street bridge renewal works.

"Following this good news, we have been working closely with partners at TfGM in response to the recent council motion to quickly progress the wider active travel scheme around the Greek Street works.

"Officers are working hard to unlock further funding for the whole of the wider scheme before the end of the financial year."

TfGM said it has nothing further to add.

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