BURY is set to benefit from £3.8 million for two new cycling and walking schemes as part of Chris Boardman's ‘Beelines’ masterplan.

The two projects were among the first to be unveiled as part of wider plans for 1,000 miles of 'Beeline' cycle routes across Greater Manchester's.

A total of 15 projects have been put forward for funding, due to be considered by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) next week.

Bury Council leader Rishi Shori said: “Our region suffers from some of the worst levels of air pollution in the country, which has serious consequences for people’s health.

“So many of our car journeys are short ones, and could be made by bike or on foot. We need to create a modern, green and sustainable region where residents are encouraged and enabled to leave the car at home more often.

“Beelines is an ambitious plan to give people a real choice in how they travel; easing congestion, improving health and creating better places to live.

“It’s also been important to involve the public from the very start to get it right, and I encourage everyone to look at the proposals and give us your thoughts.”

The routes, marked out by distinctive bee signs, weave across each of the region’s 10 boroughs.

If approved, the schemes would benefit from £25 million from Mayor Andy Burnham's Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund. A further £4 million would be given by the district councils and the Department for Transport’s Cycle City Ambition Grant.

Olympic medallist Chris Boardman, Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner, said: “We asked Greater Manchester’s 10 local authorities to hit the ground running and they’ve been able to turn these first proposed projects around very quickly. This is a real achievement in itself and will help us to keep up momentum on transforming the city-region into a better place to be.

"The list of proposed projects is the first of many for each local authority and we hope to publish the next list in the coming weeks. One thing we won’t compromise on is quality; we’re working closely with all 10 local authorities to ensure that every single project on this list meets a tough set of design standards. Only by doing this will we enable thousands more people to consider making more trips on foot or by bike."

The first Bury scheme includes 16 new and upgraded crossings and junctions, costing in the region of £2.6 million.

While the second would see new cycle parking provision built along the Bury Metrolink line. Covered bicycle parking racks would be built in 'highly visible and accessible locations' at nine stops, with lighting and CCTV.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “The network will connect every community in Greater Manchester, opening up our neighbourhoods and making it far easier to travel on foot or by bike to school, to the shops, to work.

“It is hugely exciting to see the first of many schemes coming through and the impact will be truly transformational.”

Mr Boardman added: "We’re still a few months away from starting construction of the first completed route and it is crucial that we keep getting feedback from people in every area of Greater Manchester to help inform the plans as they evolve."

The first draft of the network will remain open for comments on the MappingGM platform until the end of September. Comments will then be used to inform the second draft of the map which will be published later this year.