It's a shame you have to use a picture of what looks like San Francisco instead of Manchester for the article.

No matter how much money is applied for or spent on cycling it is pointless without a safe cycling environment that Manchester doesn't have.

"The bid does not contain a request to fund any cycle lane infrastructure."

F*** it off then ... without the infrastructure people wont cycle, if people wont cycle then therE will be no-one to use the "Dutch-style facilities ", no-one using the facilities the scheme will collapse.

WHAT A JOKE.

How do you get a "safe cycling environment" though? I'd have said that the more cycling is promoted and made easy for people, the more cyclists there will be, and the more there are, the more visible they are, which will increase driver awareness, making cycling safer. I also think cycle training and passing on safe cycling advice to novice riders has got to help. I commute into central Mancs most days and I'm very encouraged to see how popular cycle commuting is becoming. Anything that makes is easier for people to do is a good idea. My work have made an effort with showers and signing up to the tax free Cyclescheme as well as secure/swipe card bike shelters, but for those who aren't so lucky, some strategically placed secure cycle parking has got to be encouraging.

We don't need more cycle lanes! I hardly ever use any of them, Encouraging safe cycling isn't about cycle lanes. It's about educating cyclists and drivers. Encouraging a critical mass of cyclists onto the roads (and passing on safe cycling skills to any novice riders) will make cycling safer for everyone.

Everyone seems to have fair points!

Still, cycling in the city centre is best avoided as there are so many tram lines and dodgy junctions! GMC do not maintain the cycle lanes they already have too!

Cycle lanes are fine for the everyday slowish commuter or sunday cyclist but generally too dangerous when you ride at 20 mph +! I think GMC missed a trick when they didn't introduce the congestion charge! I think that their politically sensitive and democratic approach was the wrong one as a nation of car drivers are unlikely to agree to something that will cost them more!

I, myself, don't cycle in the city centre because it's not safe and there are too many bike thieves about. Evidence does suggest, however, that schemes like the one which is being proposed do work.....maybe a small scale trial would be good though.... Manchester has more than its fair share of fat, fag smoking chavs and people that are unlikely to cycle and I think the demographic is quite different to the cities in which similar schemes have succeeded!

The article says why the bid didnt include infrastructure - because the fund applied for won't pay out for infrastructure. So why should they f**k off applying for the rest of it? There's already roads and bike lanes so it would be a start and with more cyclists on the road its likely that MCC would then spend more on the infrastructure side of things

I cycle in at 20mph+ some days and don't find it causes me too much problem, of course there are junctions and other cyclists but that's the same in other large town or city with bike lanes, if you just want to ride your bike at 20+ mph uninterrupted then go into the countryside or down a dual carriageway.

There are a lot of people who already commute into Manchester and the numbers seem to be on the increase (if the bike racks at my offices are anything to go by) - personally I think the safer cycling environment comes with increased numbers on the road, just as it has (statistically at least) in London

well Bristol certainly won't win after p!ssing away cycle city money on rubbish so thats one less competitor for Manchester

" personally I think the safer cycling environment comes with increased numbers on the road, just as it has (statistically at least) in London"

Hasn't there been a disproportionate rise in the number of deaths in london ?

I travel into Manchester from the south, it's a nightmare, road surface conditions are horrendous, bike lanes blocked, driving standards from bus drivers are a f****** disgrace.

The 'wanna be' cyclists wants bike lanes, they are essential for young kids(under 16's) so MCC needs to get that sorted.

Some of the main arterial roads into the centre should be pedestrianised, Oxford Rd for example.

How many 'hit and runs' do we hear about in Manchester ?, they are a regular occurrence, whenever the Police initiate an operation (rare) to remove illegal drivers hundreds are removed.

MMC can't even provide secure CCTV covered bike park areas, virtually nothing to construct and run ... WHY NOT ?

"It contains proposals for offering one in five households 'Individualised Travel Marketing' (which includes info on cycling, walking and public transport), advice and grants to businesses keen to offer employees cycle facilities and a cycle repair, maintenance and recycling scheme."

It's 'JOBS FOR THE BOYS' , it will be a group of people in an office producing glossy b/s brochures, a cushy number and have zero effect on cycling.