Brunswick Street continues to be transformed into a new landscaped, pedestrianised and cycle friendly space, Brunswick Park, that complements TfGM’s Oxford Road Bus Priority scheme, encouraging public transport and cycle use.

Whilst completion is planned for May 2018, the start of the new academic year in September presents the University with a number of safety challenges to ensure that access is maintained to surrounding buildings for large numbers of returning staff and students. The access routes through and around the periphery of the park are currently constrained by the construction works, and therefore make it very difficult for cyclists and pedestrians to share the same space.

As a consequence, the Directorate of Estates and Facilities are actively discouraging cyclists to cycle through and around the periphery of Brunswick Park. ‘Cyclists Dismount’ signage will be placed at strategic access points to the park area, and cyclists are encouraged to walk their bikes to a cycle parking location, or shelter, close to the building that is their destination. To help matters further, they ask that cyclists do not use Brunswick Park as a through route to other locations on campus. Building and wayfinding signage will be erected around the park to help pedestrians/cyclists reach their destination.

The Directorate of Estates and Facilities are therefore seeking the patience and co-operation of the University’s cycling fraternity, to bear with them, for what will be a challenging start to the academic year.

During the course of the next few months, the contractor will be handing back to the University sections of the completed park, as progress is made towards completion, which should gradually relieve some of the pressure on space for pedestrians/cyclists to safely move around and between buildings in this locality.

The University has renewed it’s Bicycle User Group membership with Cycling UK. The group affiliation means that individuals can affiliate too and enjoy all the benefits available at a discounted price of £24 per person for annual membership.

If you are interested, contact umbug@manchester.ac.uk for the club code and enter it in the box at the bottom of the page when you join via https://shop.cyclinguk.org/membership/affiliate-membership-myself.

Through the EU funded Triangulum project, electric cargo bikes are now available to hire free of charge to staff from The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and businesses based on the Oxford Road Corridor.

The Triangulum project partners in Manchester are working together to create a smart city district within Corridor Manchester. This includes increasing the number of electric vehicles and electric bikes being used, reducing the reliance on diesel and petrol vehicles and in turn reducing carbon emissions, traffic congestion and pollution.

Manchester Bike Hire has been commissioned by Triangulum to provide an electric cargo bike loan scheme. The modern electric cargo bike fleet allows Corridor partners the opportunity to try out bikes of different designs and sizes, all free of charge. The fleet is zero emission, with improved environmental impact when the batteries are charged from renewable sources.

The electric cargo bike loan scheme will enable staff to learn whether a bike can be integrated into their day-to-day operations on a permanent basis. The scheme incorporates up-to-date data collection and asset management techniques, using online reservations and GPS tracking, along with digital maintenance and repair record-keeping. Users will be provided with cargo bike familiarisation training before hire.

To book an electric cargo bike demonstration contact Manchester Bike Hire or call: 07523 092285.

Part of Oxford Road will be closed from Monday 16 May to Sunday 5 June inclusive for demolition works at Alliance Manchester Business School.

The road will be closed to through traffic for a three week period between the junctions of Oxford Road with Hathersage Road and Booth Street West/East. Access will still be available for vehicles on University business or with other local businesses. Pedestrian access will be restricted near the demolition zone and will be diverted alongside Crawford House. Alternative pedestrian routes will be signposted at appropriate points on Oxford Road.

There will be no cycle access alongside Crawford House. Alternative cycle routes will be signposted at appropriate points on Oxford Road directing cyclists towards Higher Cambridge Street/Booth Street West and Upper Brook Street/Booth Street East.

Following on from the road closure, there will be a lane closure in place (in the direction of Manchester City Centre) for around 14 months from 6 June 2016 to 31 July 2017. This lane closure allows the end of the Precinct to be reconstructed in steel and glass to form an impressive new frontage on to Oxford Road.

You can read more about the road closure on Staffnet.

Transport for Greater Manchester are looking for cyclists who are interested in starring in their new campaign to encourage people to get on a bike.

TfGM are launching the drive to highlight the health benefits of riding a bike and are looking for enthusiastic people to take centre stage, possibly appearing in posters, leaflets, case studies and a video.

They’re looking for people of all ages from across Greater Manchester, particularly anyone who initially started cycling to improve their health.

If you’re interested, email becky@divacreative.com with ‘Cycling Campaign’ in the subject field.

Tell her where you live, what journeys you make by bike, and leave your full name and daytime contact number. If possible, also send a photo of you and your bike.

The campaign will run over the summer and follows in the footsteps of last year’s Life on 2 Wheels campaign, which encouraged people across Greater Manchester to start cycling.

UMBUG would like to collate a library of cycling videos from across Manchester to promote cycling and we are looking for UMBUG members to film their commute.

Videos could be:
• your entire route to work;
• sections of your commute that fellow cyclists would find useful or interesting, for example:
• dedicated cycle paths,
• how to navigate a tricky junction or
• a new road layout;
• any footage that promotes cycling to work.

To film your commute, the Environmental Sustainability team have a GoPro Hero video camera with a handlebar/seatpost/pole mount that you can borrow. Please contact UMBUG at umbug@manchester.ac.uk to borrow it.

Video guidelines
• Please use the video mode rather than time lapse.
• Resolution should be set to 1080-25.

The camera comes with a Quick Start Guide and you can find more detailed information in the GoPro User Manual.

Please just let us know if you have any alternative equipment suggestions that would make filming with the GoPro easier.

We will also happily accept footage filmed on your own camera if you have one.

You do not have to worry about editing the footage (unless you want to). When you return the camera, will we download the files and edit them. If you are interested in editing them yourself, GoPro Studio is a free and user friendly option.