Rochdale has been rated as the worst borough for cycling in Greater Manchester, leading to calls for local leaders to do more. US-based PeopleForBikes scores the ‘cyclability’ of various towns and cities in in a bid to highlight the best and provide insights into how others can be improved.
Ratings draw from two key factors: the quality of the cycling network in a borough (network score) and community perceptions of cycling (community score). Whereas Manchester leads the way in the city region - recording an average overall score of 43.4 - Rochdale could only muster a disappointing 24.5.
Top scoring boroughs have lower speed limits (20 mph), and fewer motor vehicle lanes on roads that connect neighbourhoods - helping them rate as 'low stress' for cyclists. For a borough to score highly, it must have good connections to neighbouring boroughs via protected bike lanes or off-street paths, including bridges to avoid busy road junctions.
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