5,000+ cyclists using protected cycleway in Manchester

Up to 5,000 people a day are using a new safe cycleway on Manchester’s Oxford Road, data from a cycle counter shows.

On 12 occasions in the last month, more than 5,000 riders have been clocked, with a high of 5,803 on Tuesday 3rd October.

The counters are on both sides of the Oxford Road and are counting an average of 1,163 riders a day.

The data from the digital display counters on Oxford Road can be checked on the Eco Counters website.

Councillor Chris Paul, Cycling and Walking Champion for the TfGM Committee, told BikeBiz: “I really is fantastic to see more than 5,000 bike trips on Oxford Road each day.

“We’re aiming to change Greater Manchester's travel culture and increase cycling and the new counters are providing crucial information to help us measure progress.”

Manchester City Council's Executive Member for the Environment and Skills, Councillor Angeliki Stogia, said: "It's great to know that our work along Oxford Road and Wilmslow Road is encouraging thousands of people to get on their bikes and show Manchester at its best - as a modern, cycle-friendly city, that is an attractive place to live, work, visit and study."

The figures compare favourably with some of the highest cycling figures in London, including Hackney, which has some of the best cycling rates in the country.