Today (September 10), plans for a 100-mile-plus network connecting and improving Manchester’s parks, squares, rivers, canals and viaducts, known as CyanLines, have been revealed – including the first four routes. CyanLines, inspired by the colour cyan that is a mix of blue and green, is a city-wide regeneration project for green, blue and natural spaces, aiming to unlock “new opportunities, new connections and missing links”.
The CyanLines projects will range from huge interventions like the future phases of Castlefield Viaduct to the idea of a new walkway across the middle of the River Irwell to the hyper-local, such as food growing planters in housing developments or balcony gardening lessons.
“Manchester is on a mission to make our city greener”
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester is on a mission to make our city greener, investing in new parks and green spaces including the likes of Mayfield, Ancoats Green and the Castlefield Viaduct, in addition to our work to celebrate and open up our rivers and canals. We are a city with exciting and transformational plans for the future.
“But there’s more that we can do together. CyanLines is a bold new initiative over the next decade to imagine and create over 100 miles of connected parks, green spaces and waterfronts. This is just the start of CyanLines, and I urge residents, business owners, community groups and leaders to join us on this very exciting journey to truly transform our city.”
Which CyanLines routes will be introduced first?
The first four CyanLines across Manchester city centre have been revealed, and they will be the foundations from which all CyanLines projects, more routes and activity will spread. The CyanLines team has worked with outdoor activity app, komoot, to create the first Manchester Collection on the platform featuring the four initial routes.
The initial CyanLines are:
- CL1 / Victoria Station & NOMA to Queens Park – The Irk Valley explorer
- CL2 / Mayfield, New Islington & Ancoats Loop – From marina to new city park
- CL3 / St Peter’s Square to Whitworth Park – Walking the knowledge corridor
- CL4 / Irwell & Castlefield Loop – Romans, rivers and a park in the sky
The pilot routes connect well-known places such as Mayfield, New Islington Marina Park, Castlefield Viaduct, the Canal Basin, Symphony Park, Kampus and Ancoats Green with lesser-known pocket parks, canal tow paths and pedestrianised walkways. The routes will also take in planned spaces such as the Science Museum courtyard, the former Central Retail Park, Victoria North, Holt Town and the Medieval Quarter, to name a few.
CyanLines will ultimately link up all of Greater Manchester’s boroughs
Pete Swift, CyanLines project co-founder and CEO of Planit said: “The first four CyanLines provide so much more than walkable and wheelable connections linking the existing and planned excellent green and blue spaces across the city, to bring us all closer to nature and nature closer to us. The routes will be the starting point, or springboard, for a whole plethora of CyanLines projects which will bring new opportunities for nature to thrive and to be enjoyed.
“The ambition for CyanLines does not stop at Manchester and Salford city centres. It will ultimately link up all Greater Manchester’s boroughs to bring our citizens and communities closer to nature and help drive a greener, healthier, and inclusive future. From Dunham Massey in the south, to Northern Roots in Oldham; from Leigh via RHS Bridgewater, Media City on to the foot of the Pennines.”
“Everyone wants more green space”
Tom Bloxham MBE CBE, CyanLines project co-founder and chair, Urban Splash and founding Chair Manchester International Festival (MIF) and Factory International said: “Everyone wants more green space. Everyone wants to be able to walk to the end of Castlefield Viaduct. Everyone wants to be healthier and happier. Imagine more species and drifts of plants and wildflowers and allotments in the city centre, and being able to walk one or 100 miles of continuous paths linking all our amazing spaces. Together we can make it happen!”
The CyanLines project is already underway, and in alignment with its vision, Manchester and Salford City Councils have worked together to secure funding from the National Trust, Natural England, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Nature Towns and Cities programme. This funding will enable both councils to dedicate additional resources and capacity to initiatives that complement and support the CyanLines vision.
You can find out more about the CyanLines projects, including how to get involved, here.