Friends of the Fallowfield Loop

Introduction.

Fallowfield Loop friends, casual users of the Loop and TfGM personnel have noted that there are few places where walkers using the Loop are able to sit down and rest. Seating for such breaks in journey are important both for more able users of the route and to help those who would like to use the Loop to increase their fitness, but are deterred by the lack of resting places. Sustrans have indicated they would support proposals for an increased number of seats on the Loop and the Friends of the Fallowfield Loop (FotFL) have undertaken to examine possible locations for additional seats. At the last FotFL meeting, a distance between seats of 1km was suggested as a suitable starting point.

Existing seating.

Early in the life of the Loop, FotFL applied successfully for grant funding for two metal benches and Sustrans personnel installed them. These are located as follows:

1. About 500m from St Werburgh’s Road Metrolink station on the north side of the path.
2. About 600m from St Werburgh’s Road Metrolink station on the north side of the path.

Later an additional bench was installed, funding and installer unknown, location:

about 120m north west of the Alston Road access point, at the path junction to Abbey Hey Lane.

There is also relatively close off route seating:

• at the Station South premises (old Levenshulme station)

• by the reservoir, between the Debdale outdoor centre and the ‘Yellow Brick Road’ Loop access;
• within the Godfrey Ermen playing fields, on the north side of the Loop in Abbey Hey.

Proposed seating.

Based on the 1km distance proposal, the following possible locations have been identified::

1. At the point where Platt Brook emerges from a culvert, just west of Bethnall Drive allotments.
2. At the Carrington Road entrance to the Loop.
3. At the Kingsway entrance to the Loop.
4. At Levenshulme ‘quadrants’ – Crayfield Road/Kersh Avenue entrance.
5. At the Nelstrop Road access to the Loop.
6. At the grassed area opposite Shillingford Road.

Costs.

The original green painted steel seats were supplied by Marshalls. On request they have provided FotFL with a quotation of £1415, including delivery, for one Ollerton Festival seat in a similar style. Presumably there will be a beneficial reduction in price for an order of 6 seats. There will be an additional cost for installation of the seats, which will involve digging two suitable holes, burying the seat legs in quick setting cement and making good. This was done by Sustrans for the original seats, but may be done by another contractor for the new seats.

Thus, for 6 seats, an estimated cost of £10,000 seems reasonable. FotFL are not in a position to fund such a project themselves, so would need to find a grant funder, possibly TfGM, as part of their Bee Active/GM Moving project.

Conclusion.

The above information is intended to provide a basis for further discussion by involved parties: FotFL, Sustrans and TfGM.

R.J.Venes, 7/6/25.

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