The unusual crossing, only the 3rd of its type in the borough, will be installed in Rochdale on Shawclough Road, and will offer a direct and safe route into the Healey Dell nature reserve, a hugely popular beauty spot, which is visited by tens of thousands of people every year.
The crossing point, which is being by funded by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), will feature the traditional section for cyclists and pedestrians, but will also have an additional section for horse riders.
Improvements will be made to a forest path, which connects Cronkeyshaw Common in Fieldhouse Road, with Shawclough Road where the new crossing point will be situated. A section of the path will be split into 2 separate sections where it meets the new crossing, one for horse riders, which will feature horse boxes where they can wait until the crossing is clear, and one for cyclists and pedestrians. This path is part of the history of the area, having previously been the route of the Rochdale to Bacup railway line, which operated until 1949 and carried coal trains into the 1960s.
A new pathway will also be created on the Dell Road side, so people can get into Healey Dell without having to walk, cycle or ride through its junction with Shawclough Road, which is often busy with cars.
The existing bus stop in Shawclough Road will be retained, while the traffic lights will also help slow traffic and improve safety on this busy well used road.
The scheme is one of 5 new crossings, one in each township, which will be delivered next year, following a £1.9 million cash injection from Transport for Greater Manchester to help boost safety and encourage sustainable travel.
Work on the Shawclough crossing will begin on Monday, 6 January 2025, and is expected to take around 4 months to complete. People should leave extra time for their journeys through the area during this time.
Councillor Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways, said:
“I’m delighted to see this additional investment going into boosting safety and sustainable travel across the borough, beginning with this exciting project in Rochdale North.
“With the unique addition of a horse crossing facility, this will become our third dedicated Pegasus crossing in the borough, connecting a series of woodland pathways with the Healey Dell nature reserve, a stunning and well used part of our borough.”
