New park and ride facility coming to Walkden station

A new scheme to provide park and ride at Walkden rail station has been given the green light.

Plans to build a brand-new park and ride facility at the station, providing over 100 parking spaces, four motorcycle bays and cycle storage, were approved by officers at Salford City Council yesterday (28 January).

Located off Chestnut Avenue the facility will also provide electric vehicle charging points, new lighting and CCTV, landscaping and boundary fencing.

The new facility will help meet the aims identified in the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Congestion Deal, by encouraging public transport use and providing a genuine alternative to the car.

Work is expected to start over the summer.

Councillor Mark Aldred, Chair of the Greater Manchester Transport Committee, said: “Making public transport more accessible and appealing is vital if we’re serious about reducing congestion on our roads, which is why park and ride schemes like this one are so important.

“By getting people out of their vehicles and onto public transport – even if it’s only for part of their journey – we can help alleviate traffic congestion and reduce harmful emissions that are damaging the quality of our air.

“Over the next 12 months, thanks to this scheme, the recently opened park and ride site on the Trafford Park Line and extensions to Radcliffe and Whitefield that are due to get underway in the summer, we’ll have delivered more than 700 extra park and ride spaces to key transport hubs.”

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “It is great news for local people that the Park and Ride scheme in Walkden has taken a significant step forward with the approval of planning permission.

“This is a project that myself and local ward members have long campaigned for and we are so pleased it is continuing to move forwards.

“The car park will reduce on street parking in the local neighbourhood, which will be a great relief to local residents. It will also help to support extra rail users and improve accessibility to local destinations including the RHS Bridgewater when it officially opens.”

The scheme is the latest in a series of planned park and ride expansions across the region.

Plans to increase Metrolink park and ride provision at Radcliffe and Whitefield by a total of 234 spaces were approved by Bury Council’s Planning Committee in November 2020.

That news came just days after a 360-space park and ride site was completed at Parkway on the Trafford Park Line.

Development of the park and ride provision will help meet Greater Manchester’s Our Network vision by helping to provide a truly integrated public transport system, making travel around our city-region easier, more accessible and affordable.

Further park and ride projects across the region are currently being considered.