Salford Labour Party Website

On Saturday 29th November, cyclists from all over Greater Manchester
will take part in the ‘Tour de TIF’ cycle ride to show that Greater
Manchester is a great place to cycle, remind people not to forget the
environmental, health and social benefits of cycling and to support a
YES vote for the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) proposal which will
help improve cycling infrastructure, facilities and promotion right
across Greater Manchester.

Starting from Swinton Civic Centre the Tour de TIF will travel 80
miles around Greater Manchester via the town halls of: Wigan, Bolton,
Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Ashton, Stockport, Altrincham, Sale and
Trafford, finishing at Manchester Town Hall.

We believe that the TIF package will be good for motorists, public
transport users, cyclists, pedestrians – and for air quality. Reducing
traffic congestion helps not only drivers but will encourage more
people to cycle in Greater Manchester. Since the introduction of the
congestion charge in London in 2003, cycling levels in the capital
have nearly doubled.

The proposed measures will tackle a number of problems:

Congestion: Greater Manchester is the most congested city in the UK
outside London, and the proposals would reduce traffic levels by up to
15 per cent.

Climate Change: traffic is responsible for over a fifth of UK emissions of
carbon dioxide, the main climate change gas. The proposals will help
reduce the impact of our transport emissions by up to 6% by giving
Greater Manchester a top-class public transport system and improving
facilities for cycling and walking.

Asthma: The North-West has the highest level of emergency admissions
with breathing difficulties in the UK and parts of Greater Manchester
have some of the highest emergency admissions for children anywhere in
England. Oldham has emergency admission levels which are more than
twice the national average and Manchester overall has admissions 68
per cent above the national average.

Social exclusion: the measures will improve access to services and
jobs for those without a car – this represents a third of households
across Manchester and up to 60 per cent of households in the most
deprived areas.

The Tour de TIF cycle ride is a great way to highlight the positive
environmental, health and social benefits of cycling and to experience
some of the beautiful sights of Greater Manchester.

The three Tour de TIF cycling groups (slow, medium and fast) will all
be starting at Swinton Civic Centre at 8.30am, 9.30am and 10.30am. We
would welcome any Salford councillors and cyclists who would like to
join us for part (or all) of the route. For example, Rochdale
councillor Wera Hobhouse will be joining us for the Rochdale to Oldham
section and Oldham councillor Stephen Barrow will be cycling the
Oldham to Ashton section.

If you would like more information, please contact: Graeme Sherriff
Mobile:     07948 405071

Email:  tourdetif@googlemail.com

See www.cleanairnow.co.uk and follow the links to Tour de TIF for more
details of the cycle ride.

Clean Air Now is a coalition campaigning for a sustainable transport
system that delivers: clean air, safe streets and a better quality of
life for the people of Greater Manchester, now and in the future. It
is made up of a range of public interest, environmental and transport
groups from across Greater Manchester. It supports the Greater
Manchester bid into the Transport Innovation Fund and the proposed
congestion charge for the City.