Stockport Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the Trans-Pennine Trail (TPT) by rubber-stamping an agreement with the TPT executive. 

The council signed a 'revised memorandum of understanding' for the TPT, meaning it will continue to provide funding, maintenance, and development for the 215-mile walking and cycling route. 

In Stockport, the TPT runs along the banks of the River Mersey before taking two options: one taking in the attractions of the centre - including The Plaza and Air Raid shelters – and the second where it follows a quieter route, suitable for horse riders, to the north of the town centre.

Beyond, the scenic route stretches from coast to coast and north to south, incorporating canals, incredible scenery, and historic towns along the way. 

In the past, the council has already made a number of modifications to the Stockport stretch of the scenic trail. 

These include: a new alternative route on the River Mersey section (due to river erosion on the previous route); connecting new 'active travel' routes in the borough to the TPT; resurfacing route sections; improving the accessibility of access controls using funding from the Department for Transport; and re-routing the trail as the Stockport Interchange is built. 

Cllr Grace Baynham, cabinet member for parks, highways and transport services, said: "The Trans-Pennine Trail is such an important route, and in Stockport we are really proud that it makes its way through the heart of our borough.

"We have been working hard to create new walking and cycling routes in the borough that will allow our residents to make healthier, more sustainable travel choices and some of these routes have actually allowed us to link in with the existing TPT routes.

"Once the Interchange site is complete, the TPT will also provide an important link to the railway station and improve the connectivity for residents and visitors."

Cllr John Wilson, chair of the Trans-Pennine Trail Partnership, from Barnsley Council, said: "It's wonderful to know that Stockport Council has confirmed its ongoing commitment to the Trans Pennine Trail Partnership in signing our revised Memorandum of Understanding.

"Our partnership started in the late 1980s and has to be one of the longest serving partnerships of local authorities in the UK. It is because of the dedication of our partners that we remain as strong as we are. Thank you Stockport."

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