News on Trafford Road

One of Salford’s biggest ever road improvement schemes has ended – with thanks to the public for their patience

The project introduced new facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and made significant improvements to road safety for all users, please read on for a quick summary:

Every junction, crossing and bus stop along Salford’s two-mile stretch of Trafford Road has been improved and upgraded to ease traffic flow and make it safer for all users.

Extra pedestrian and cycle friendly crossings have been introduced and all crossings along the road are now controlled by signals to make them safer to use.

Twenty-five street lighting columns have been replaced and drains along the route cleaned and improved.

New segregated cycle lanes have been added and the point where cyclists cross the tram tracks at Furness Quay has been adjusted to make it safer.

The whole length of the road has been resurfaced with new, clearer road markings and signage and the road has been designated a red route clearway to keep traffic flowing. It means drivers who park on footpaths can be given a fixed penalty notice.

Every bus stop now has a shelter and high kerb to make getting onto and off buses easier and five new waiting areas have been created so passengers don’t block the paths. All the footpaths have also been re-laid.

Contractors Sisk, who spent over 300,000 hours on site, had to cope with extremes of summer and winter weather, vandalism and theft of equipment as well as the discovery of unmapped pipes, cables and even old railway lines underground. The scheme was also affected by unplanned and over-running work on the Metrolink.

Over £1.7 Million in Section 106 contributions from nearby developments was used in the project which was jointly funded by Salford City Council and grants from Growth Deal and the Mayor’s Challenge Fund for cycling and walking improvements.

A section of the scheme outside the X1 building, next to the junction of Trafford Road and The Quays, couldn’t be completed as part of the main project delivery due to the essential works that needed to take place on the apartment building. This section will be completed as a standalone project which needs a separate budget and procurement process. We are now scoping out the requirements of the project and we will publish a further update on this and the expected timescales as soon as more details are confirmed.

Trafford Road is one of the busiest roads in Salford and the work has improved its capacity to handle road traffic as well as providing better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. It’s part of a Greater Manchester-wide programme to create the largest joined up system of walking and cycling routes in the UK to reduce the number of cars on the road and ease congestion for everyone.

Take a look at the latest drone footage or photos of the completed scheme.

Posted on 2nd February 2023

by Salford City Council