The Manchester Evening News has been accused of “sensationalism” and stoking anti-cycling sentiment after publishing a story on modifications to recently-installed cycling infrastructure – by claiming in its headline that the bike lane was being “ripped up again”, as part of the latest instalment in a long-running “insane saga”.
However, cycling campaigners in the city have described the headline as misleading and “incorrect”, pointing out that no changes are being made to both existing CYCLOPS junction and the bike lane, which is simply being painted green, instead (a minor modification also clarified by the MEN itself).
In 2025, work began to install new protected cycle lanes and a CYCLOPS (Cycle Optimised Protected Signals) junction, designed to make crossings safer for cyclists and pedestrians, on Oldham Road in Manchester, a busy route connecting the north-east of the city to the centre.
The active travel improvements form part of Manchester City Council’s Northeast Gateway scheme, introduced to give better access to the city centre for people walking or on bikes, while making it “easier and safer” to use for everyone.
According to the council, Oldham Road is a “busy road with lots of cars, and few cycle lanes, which is difficult to cross”. In the past five years, 36 collisions have been recorded on the road, including seven serious injuries.
Meanwhile, a third of the buses that use the route – with 43 two-way services operating each hour – are more than five minutes late, the council says.
But despite the scheme’s apparent benefits for active travel and bus journeys, the construction work, which finished in November, has been heavily criticised in the local press, with the Manchester Evening News describing it as an “insane saga” beset by delays.
Speaking to Local Democracy Service reporters, locals claimed that the works have “murdered” businesses on the road, while one pub landlord said roadworks on nearby Rochdale Road in December “literally shook the pub and drove customers out”.
And this week, the MEN says Oldham Road “will be dug up for a third time since the start of 2025”. These works, the newspaper reports, will take place once construction on Rochdale Road is completed, and will see the recently installed cycle lanes “ripped up” and painted green in the coming week.
A post on the Manchester Evening News’ Facebook page sharing the story also described the development as “crazy”.
The claim that the cycle lanes are set to be dug up and the tone of the MEN’s coverage, however, has attracted criticism from local cycling campaigners, who believe the MEN’s headline is promoting an anti-cycling agenda.
“A clarification that this article is incorrect,” campaign group Walk Ride GM posted on social media.
“The existing infrastructure built last year on Oldham Road will stay, including the CYCLOPS. This scheme is building on that work to expand the cycle route into the city centre.”
“I can’t believe MEN are click-baiting cycle infrastructure,” wrote Pete, while Katy said: “Manchester Evening News relying on anti-cycling sentiment for clicks? Again? Colour me shocked.”
“This is not good journalism – it’s sensationalism, reporting the hyperbole of one resident,” added Owler.
“Pretty disappointing to see the work of licence fee payer funded Local Democracy Reporters being used to produce rage-bait headlines,” said Sean in Facebook.
“Oldham Road has terrible bus delays and awful safety for anyone outside a motor vehicle.
“Looks like they’ve managed to design a great scheme here which makes much better use of all the wasted space to provide something for all modes of transport including cars.”
And Walk Ride’s Trafford branch added: “When improvements are made to the experience of public transport users in an area of low car ownership, when a vehicle carrying up to 70 people is given the opportunity to get above an average speed of 10 mph and for those people to get to where they are going on time – we should celebrate.”
The MEN’s questionable coverage of Oldham Road’s cycling infrastructure comes in the same week Manchester City Council announced a set of new active travel and public transport changes to the road and the surrounding area.
The plans for the rest of Oldham Road, the council says, aim to make “bus stops safer and easier to use, with accurate real time information screens”, ensure bus journeys are “faster and more reliable”, and improve crossings and footpaths to support walking, wheeling, and cycling.
As part of the proposals, the council wants to introduce more protected cycle lanes on Oldham Road, make changes to crossings and junctions, add more bus lanes, and restrict access to motorists on certain sections of the route.
“Our streets should work for everyone – people walking, wheeling, cycling, using buses, and driving. Some trips need cars, vans, or trucks. We’re improving roads, traffic lights, and junctions to make them safer and less busy,” the council said.
“For many years people have been telling us they want better buses, better infrastructure and safer journeys and this is what we’re aiming to deliver in Oldham Road,” Tracey Rawlins, the council’s executive member for transport, said in a statement launching the new public consultation.
“Investment in improving our journeys is vital as we know that for the money that goes into improving our network, we get back more in wider benefits. That means a stronger economy, more growth and better health as well as opportunities for our residents.”
Meanwhile, Alison Chew, Transport for Greater Manchester’s interim bus director, added: “These plans aim to make bus stops safer and easier to use, improve the speed and reliability of bus services, and provide better walking and cycling routes with upgraded crossings and footpaths.
“As Manchester city centre continues to grow, improving the way people can move easily around the city is a major driver for change. We know that things can be better.”
2 thoughts on “Manchester Evening News accused of stoking anti-cycling sentiment after “incorrectly” claiming new bike lane set to be “ripped up again””
It looks from the pictures and sounds like a well designed, successful scheme.
Hats off to the council for implementing the scheme and sticking by their guns in the face of whipped up hysteria (“….the pub was literally shaking…”).
The MEN journalist should hang his or her head in shame. Maybe they are angling for a position with the Daily Mail or Daily Express.
What’s insane there is the amount of public real estate devoted to moving motor traffic.
“locals claimed that the works have “murdered” businesses on the road”
… because the properties completely surrounded by multiple lanes of traffic in the leading image are being facilitate by said traffic?!