Cyclists in Stockport will be forced to use backstreets which are "overrun" with heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) as part of plans to develop the A6, a councillor has warned.

Working with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), Stockport council has put forward a proposal to build new bus lanes on Wellington Road North, and cycle routes on side streets to the east and west of the main road.

It has led to backlash from councillors and campaigners who called for segregated cycle lanes directly on the A6, which they say is safer.

Cllr Asa Caton said streets such as Lower Bury Street and Higher Bury Street would see cyclists crossing paths with trucks and other large industrial vehicles.

He added: "It's an area that is overrun with heavy goods vehicles, delivery vehicles, industrial units, an abattoir.

"You could make any number of improvements to that area and it would not be used for walking and cycling. You would still see people using the A6.

"It just makes me shudder, the fact that we are trying to push people to use that route."

Councillors at the Stockport Central Area Committee called on the town hall to pause the plans so that members have more time to offer feedback.

Cllr Christine Carrigan added that the report on the A6 Corridor design is more than 600 pages long and needs more time to be properly scrutinised.

On Monday, Green Party councillors also raised concerns during a town hall meeting.

Cllr James Frizzell said the council's plan would send cyclists down "quiet, lonely passageways at night", and could create "personal safety" risks.

However, Cllr Grace Baynham, Stockport council's cabinet member for transport, said the plans will be moving forward.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service today: "Throughout the development of the scheme, Stockport officers have worked closely with colleagues in TfGM.

"The council has undertaken some significant design work over the course of the past 12 months to arrive at an agreed scheme that will now move to the outline business case stage of the funding process.

"We have engaged with members and the public across the course of the past year, running member engagement sessions and a full public consultation, which included several public engagement events.

"There is always dialogue between council members and officers and we are open to discussions and meetings with other officials involved in the delivery of schemes within Stockport."

Alongside new bus lanes on Wellington Road North, the A6 Corridor aims to improve crossings and junctions.

The route provides a link from the boundary of Manchester to Stockport town centre, and is one of the busiest bus routes in Greater Manchester.

But the plans were thrown into doubt yesterday, when Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham spoke about it on BBC Radio Manchester.

He said it is a "critical route" but that he will speak to the leader of Stockport Council Mark Hunter to "look again" at the proposals.

In total, the scheme is set to cost up to £15m using funding from the Greater Manchester City Region Transport Settlement.

Subject to approval, it is expected to begin in 2025, lasting until 2027.

It also proposes to create a number of new 20mph speed limits on residential streets around Wellington Road North.

TfGM declined to comment.