'Dutch-style' cycling vision could be brought to Wigan thanks to new £80k funding package

A funding package worth almost £80,000 could see a new ‘Dutch-style’ cycling system brought to Wigan.

Wigan Council received the funding from Transport for Greater Manchester, which will see a study conducted over the possibility of bringing in 'a mini-Holland' - a term for the introduction of Dutch-style cycling infrastructure to help make it easier for residents to move from car to bike for shorter journeys.

In addition, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority also approved last week funding of £3.37 million for two other Wigan-based cycling schemes. These would see the existing 1.5km of improved off and on road cycling and walking routes on the Standish Mineral Line extended by 2.1km in length.

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£2,313,702 of this money would go towards improving 8km of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Towpath between Wigan, Standish and Ashton - providing important links between Shevington and Appley Bridge, as well as local amenities such as the DW Stadium, Robin Park, Martland Park, Gidlow Lane and Laithwaite Park.

The Greater Mancehster Mayor Andy Burnham is keen to promote active travel in the region and these three pots of funding for Wigan will be part of that vision. The Mayor’s Challenge Fund was set up to help deliver this for boroughs across the county.

Aidan Thatcher, director for growth and economy at Wigan Council, said: “We are pleased to have been one of the successful authorities in Greater Manchester to receive £80k from TfGM which will enable us to carry out a study to explore how we can encourage active travel through the creation of ‘mini-Hollands’. A mini-Holland is the introduction of Dutch-style cycling