The Davenport Station site is for
users of Davenport railway
station, Stockport, England - and for all the people of
Davenport.
These supplementary cyclist's pages are for everyone who enjoy cycling
around the south Stockport area, and especially those who attend the
Stockport Council Cycle User Group meetings, which are freely open to
all. New faces are always welcome.
Note: this is a strictly unofficial
site, not connected with or approved by Stockport Council or
Northern Rail.
Created and compiled by Charlie Hulme.
|
Edgeley and Aurora - some new works
Work is now in progress on the 'TCAP' project to change Booth Street
railway bridge from one-way to two-way, removing the existing westbound
cycle
lane. Above as a detail of the plan published on the Council website.
(The diagonal hatching marks shared paths.) We have added the black
dotted line which shows the path to Moscow Road East which is being
improved. The Council say that 'A cycle route will be provided to link
the path to Moscow Road East to Newton Street.' This move, currently
simple enough using un-signalled refuges, will now involve negotiation
of at least three signalised crossings, only one of which is marked on
the plan as a 'Toucan' but perhaps all will be.
The picture above shows the situation in December 2016 from Booth
Street, looking across Mercian Way to Newton Street and hence the
shopping area, railway station, and route to the town centre via the
Thompson Street footbridge, looking from a new pathway not shown on the
plan. The red tactile paving does not incorporate the ribbed tiles
usually associated with cycle routes.
Taken from further back at the entrance to the Moscow Road East path,
shows a choice of pathways, one (right) on a 'straightened-out' version
of the afore-mentioned route, for the use of people who have passed
over the railway bridge, and a route (left) which leads to the crossing
in the first picture.
Turning through 180º we see the Moscow Road East path, which is to
be improved as part of the scheme including 'widening, surfacing,
fencing and lighting to allow pedestrian and cycle use.' Clearly, this
work has yet to start. The remote-controlled gate on the left leads to
the Network Rail depot and signalling centre; years ago, schoolboy
spotters would sneak down to the steam locomotive shed. The area to the
right, once a council depot and lately used for parking and car-boot
sales, is to be re-developed.
An oddity about this path is that although it clearly exists - as a
straight line on the Council's map - and is used, running behind
Edgeley Park football ground and crossing the route of the former
railway siding which served Sykes Bleachworks, it has never been
designated as a public right of way. Presumably the land is owned by
the Council so it is administratively easy to allow cycling. The solid
concrete fences are to be replaced by open palisade ones to make people
feel safer, but will anyone use it at night even with lighting?
Further down Mercian Way is this Toucan Crossing connecting the end of
Castle Street shopping area and a link via Grenville Street to the
Trans Pennine Trail (to the right) with a signed route towards
Davenport via Reservoir Road. Wouldn't it be useful, though, if there
was a dropped kerb and a short length of shared path in the foreground
for the benfit of anyone who reaches this point via Booth St and
Mercian Way. This just one of the places in Stockport where such would
be useful. An obvious other example is the left turn into Edward Street
from Wellington Road South where it would give access to the Toucan
Crossings.
Gingerly down Grenville Street and on to the TPT, we paused to cross
the Gorsey Bank bridge to look and progress in creating the oddly-named
'Aurora' business park. The building of the industrial units is
well under way; this view is from just above the river footbridge. We
understand that a shared path will be provided along here.
This map extract from the Planning Permission (ref. 60052)
shows
what the area near the bridge will look like, with the link to
the off-site footpath towards Cheadle Heath.
Temporary access to the bridge is being maintained, but the original
Gorsey Bank road which led to the former housing estate will
apparently not be the final route, which will emerge on to Stockport
Road slightly nearer to the town centre.
This plan shows the route of the path at the other end of site, with
the link under the railway line.
As a historical sidelight, this map shows what existed c.1952. The
original footbridge at Gorsey bank was built for railway workers to
access Heaton Mersey engine shed. The only railway in existence today
is the 'LMSR loop line' which is used by stone trains to and from the
Peak District trains a few times each day.
To
the Davenport station home page | To the
Cycling homepage
|