More accessible bus stops arrive on Sale's Firs Way and Manor Avenue

Trafford Council has completed the first phase of a scheme to upgrade bus stops across Sale, with work now finished on Firs Way and Manor Avenue and around 40 more stops earmarked for improvement.

Residents in Sale will have noticed a fresh look to some of their local bus stops, as the council wraps up phase one of a borough-wide accessibility drive. The scheme covers a key corridor running through Sale West and into north Altrincham and forms part of a wider push to remodel road junctions in the area for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as bus passengers.

Eight stops have been improved in this first phase, all on Firs Way and Manor Avenue. Work began in spring with the northbound and southbound stops at Chepstow Avenue on Firs Way, before crews moved on to the northbound and southbound stops at Catterick Avenue. The programme then continued on Manor Avenue, where it has now been completed. The improvements were carried out by the One Trafford partnership, which brings together the council and contractor Amey and funded by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). They include new surfacing, kerbs, poles and shelters, along with level changes designed to cut stepping distances and make boarding and alighting easier.

The council says the changes will be of particular benefit to wheelchair users and people with impairments, as well as improving comfort and safety for everyone using the bus. It's only the beginning of a much bigger scheme – around 40 bus stops are due to be upgraded in total, with this corner of Trafford one part of a wider bus stop improvement programme being rolled out across Greater Manchester.

Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council's Executive Member for Highways and Environmental Services, said the council was pleased to see the first phase completed.

"We're delighted to deliver this programme to improve stops without platforms for easy access, worn-out shelters with cracked kerbs and below-average surfacing," he said. "The bus stops are looking smarter and our aims are to encourage more people to use buses. We are supporting equality and inclusion in the area and helping to reduce car dependency, by delivering practical, environmental and value-for-money benefits for the community."

Further phases of the upgrade programme are expected to be rolled out in the coming months as work continues along the route.