2018: Following a call for bids, the Levenshulme Bee network is established to trial an active neighbourhood. An initial consultation is conducted. 

2020: An active neighbourhood plan (codesigned with Sustrans) is published which includes modal filters, new crossings and a parklet. In addition, Sustrans publishes the Levenshulme School Streets report, which includes designs for school streets, traffic calming interventions, crossing points, signage, and artwork around schools. A number of residents express anger at the plans. 

July 2020: Levenshulme Bee network is sacked from running the project. Manchester City Council takes over and announces further consultation.

August 2020: Local residents create Streets for People and publish a collective letter signed by 500 people in favour of an ambitious active neighbourhood. 

September 2020: A second consultation on a proposal for 25 modal filters in Levenshulme receives 2/3rds positive responses. The Burnage part of the scheme is paused. 

January 2021: The trial begins. Only 14 of the 25 modal filters are included; no schools streets; no intervention in Burnage; no satisfying answers given as to why the others were removed. A third consultation is conducted: 68% of responses are positive. 81% of responses regarding a scheme in Burnage are positive.

November 2021: Detailed proposals for Phase 2 of the scheme are announced with interventions proposed in Burnage as well as Levenshulme.

December 2021: A fourth(!) consultation is opened; results released in June 2022 show 70% of residents believed the Active Travel Neighbourhood was good for the area.

July 2022: 12 of the temporary filters (all in Levenshulme) are made permanent. Further works are undertaken in the coming years including pavement improvements, two zebra crossings on Errwood Road, new ‘green man’ crossings on Stockport Road and Matthews Lane and short ‘linking’ cycle lanes on Stockport Road and Matthews Lane which join parts of the scheme together. New proposals are made for a modal filter on Belvoir Avenue with combined Sparrow crossing on the A6 – providing a vital link between two significant low traffic areas. 

September 2023: Streets for People hold a public meeting with local councillors at Levenshulme Inspire. All three councillors made a clear statement of commitment to the scheme and seeing it through to completion.

2024: Two filters, this time in Burnage (on Milwain Road and Linden Park), are installed. New ‘green man’ crossings with widening of pavements are built at the busy junction of Albert Road and Slade Lane.

October 2024: A young girl is hit by a car in the Westpoint Gardens area of Slade Lane and seriously injured. Streets for People members help out with a demonstration organised by Westpoint residents to demand more traffic-calming measures in the area.

January 2025: A trial school street (a car-free zone around drop off and pick up) starts at Acacias Primary school after a lot of work from parents, residents, the school and with help from Streets for People members. Every morning and afternoon, volunteers marshal the school street. The group also starts a campaign for a permanent school street at Acacias. Manchester City Council promised a school street in every ward by 2028 in the Manchester Active Travel Strategy and Investment Plan and Andy Burnham promised 100 school streets in Greater Manchester by 2028. 

2025: A mini-cycle lane is built in front of the Arcadia Library & Leisure centre. The first of many on the A6?

2025: Plans for traffic-calming measures are announced for Slade Lane after pressure from Westpoint residents.

2025: Councillors announce that we will get step free access to Levenshulme train station – an important element if this active travel neighbourhood is going to be truly inclusive.

2026 and beyond…our campaign continues. The Levenshulme and Burnage active neighbourhood scheme is still under construction.

Final parts awaiting completion include a modal filter and sparrow crossing at Belvoir Avenue and pavement improvements on Broom Lane.

Traffic calming for Slade Lane is yet to be built and Acacias school street is yet to be made permanent.

There are no clear proposals for which school in Levenshulme will have a school street in fulfilment with the ‘one school street per ward’ pledge from Manchester City Council.

We’re also supporting residents on Marshall Road who desperately need improvements to their road. So plenty to keep us busy, but watch this space!