Star date: 15th February 2019

PATCHWORK ROADS, POTHOLES AND TRIPPING RESIDENTS IN FORGOTTEN CLIFTON

While Salford is spending £160million on Swedish style cycle paths and walking routes around the 'new' hipster-friendly areas of Salford, up in Clifton it's a different story, with patchwork roads, potholes and crumbling paving slabs for residents to trip over.

"We want something on a par with other parts of Salford" says Clifton resident Graham Robinson "We just want things to be the same here."

Full details here...

"The people of Greater Manchester will soon have a genuine choice in how they travel, ensuring that they and their children have a viable and attractive alternative to the car..." Chris Boardman, Greater Manchester Cycling and Walking Commissioner.

A few months ago, Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, was at the launch of a report on the future of Greater Manchester, and on the panel was the chief exec of Wigan Council, who winked at him and said 'Ah but you're bringing Sweden to Salford...'

She was referring to the £160million fund firing cycle lanes and walking routes around Media City, Trinity Way and Monton Village, including the £4.3million European style cycle lanes planned around new developments in Chapel Street...

"It will set a new standard for cycling and walking provision in Salford, acting as a pilot project to demonstrate how a street can be transformed" states Salford Council.

Up in Clifton, a few miles away from the hipster-friendly areas and new unaffordable developments, it's a different story, as resident Graham Robinson highlights the state of the roads in his neighbourhood...

"They're in a shoddy state, rutted, with lots of potholes that are filled in and then not long afterwards crumble again" he explains "What we would like to see is investment, a uniform road, not just a patchwork quilt of repairs. We want something on a par with other parts of Salford. We just want things to be the same here."

Graham's neighbour is Mrs Fraser, who has lived in the area for 37 years and seen it deteriorate...

"The roads used to be fine but they're a mess now, and I've tripped over the pavement twice" she says "My daughter has phoned the Council and they've done nothing about it, nothing at all. I was walking past one of the holes in the road and there was a big puddle...I got soaked by a car going past. It is a mess. It's been reported time and time again."

Indeed, Castleway and the roads around it in Clifton are a jigsaw of repairs, ruts and potholes that desperately need resurfacing. While Salford Council and cycling guru Chris Boardman want people to get on their bikes, anyone venturing on a bike around here is in for a good bone rattling...

"My old bike was getting wrecked by it" says Graham "It all strikes me as really unfair. I want this kind of investment to be equally shared and more to be allocated to this area. If people see that the roads are in a really good state they might be more encouraged and that has a knock on effect in terms of people doing more cycling and keeping fit. It's a win-win. Put in short term investment and you'll get long term rewards. It's a no brainer. At the moment it might put people off cycling, or even walking.

"This is a more run down area but that isn't how it should be" he adds "We want things to look smart, and looking at a wider angle it will improve people's attitude towards their area. The way things are at the moment it's a bit of a downward spiral. Things are getting grottier and grottier year on year, and I want that to end."

Salford Council is currently 'investing' £1.5million to repair 'potholes, cracked pavements and other scars on Salford's roads' but as far as the Salford Star knows, this doesn't include the roads around Castleway in Clifton.

For a full background see previous Salford Star articles...

£1.5billion Cycling Routes and £160million for Salford – click here

£7million Cycling and Walking Routes for Salford – click here