Six new cycleways have been created across Greater Manchester as part of the £42m Cycle City investment programme.

The new bike routes have been designed as an attractive and convenient way to travel by bike, linking communities with town and city centres and areas of employment, education and training.

They include routes in south Manchester, Stockport and Trafford:

• Airport City Cycleway: connecting Timperley and Manchester Airport
• Bridgewater Canal Cycleway: canal-side route linking Altrincham, Trafford Park and Manchester city centre
• Mersey Valley and Stockport Cycleway: connecting Stockport town centre with Cheadle and East Didsbury
• Ashton Canal Cycleway: canal-side route from Ashton-under-Lyne to Manchester city centre
• Wilmslow Road Cycleway: connecting Didsbury village and Whitworth Park
• Broughton Cycleway: links Broughton with Manchester city centre and has innovative traffic islands and reflective bollards to separate cyclists and traffic along the 2km route, making it the UK’s longest cycleway of its type

Funded by the Department for Transport (DfT), the six cycleways have been delivered by TfGM in partnership with the five local authorities through which the routes pass – Manchester City, Salford City, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford councils.

Councillor Chris Paul, Transport for Greater Manchester Committee Cycling Champion, said: “We’ve got big ambitions for cycling in Greater Manchester and we’re already beginning to see more and more people getting around by bike.

“The incredible Olympics success of Team GB’s cycling team, based at the ‘Medal Factory’ National Cycling Centre in Manchester, will hopefully inspire more people to consider cycling for both work and leisure, and our aim is also to put Greater Manchester on the map as a great place to cycle, whatever your ability and wherever you’re looking to travel.

“Now that the first phase of the Cycle City programme is complete, we’re on the way to meeting our target of 10% of journeys in Greater Manchester being made by bike by 2025.

• Cycling from Stockport to Dunham Massey

The £20m first phase of the DfT Cycle City programme – of which the cycleways network is a key part – has also seen improved cycle parking and facilities at transport interchanges, railway stations, Metrolink stops, workplaces, and social housing sites; 11 schools benefiting from new cycling facilities and training through the Cycle School and Colleges programme; and training and support for people who would like to cycle more or who are new to cycling.

The second phase – which is now under way – involves a further £22m investment by 2018 in additional new and improved cycle routes, four new cycle-friendly district centres, 10 new schools joining the Cycle Schools and Colleges programme, further improvements to cycle parking and continued cycle training and support.