Manchester City Council

Roads and transport Manchester - City of cycling

Manchester is working to become one of the best cities in the world for cycling.

The Council has launched a five-year plan called City of Cycling.
We are working with partners including:

  • Manchester Active
  • Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)
  • British Cycling
  • Cycling UK
  • Marketing Manchester

Why this plan matters

Manchester was named European Capital of Cycling in 2024.

We have also made big progress in recent years, including:

  • Manchester to Chorlton cycleway
  • Deansgate cycleway
  • Yellow Brick Road route upgrades
  • Ashton Canal Bridge
  • Ranked 34th in the world in the 2025 Copenhagenize Index

Now we want to build on this work.

Our vision

We want cycling to be a normal part of daily life.

That means:

  • People feel safe to cycle
  • Cycling is open to everyone
  • More people use bikes to get around
  • Communities are more connected

Cycling can help people stay healthy, cut pollution, and support local areas.

What we will do

The City of Cycling plan for 2026 to 2031 focuses on four areas.

Get more people cycling

We will:

  • Support local cycling events and activities
  • Help communities come together
  • Make cycling welcoming for everyone

Make cycling fair and open to all

We will:

  • Remove barriers to cycling
  • Help people learn to ride
  • Build confidence and skills

Improve routes and facilities

We will:

  • Create safe cycle paths
  • Link routes across the city
  • Make cycling easy for travel and leisure

Promote cycling clearly

We will:

  • Share simple, clear information
  • Run campaigns to encourage cycling
  • Highlight real stories from local people

Read the full plan

Download the full City of Cycling Implementation Plan 2026–2031.

Discover what Manchester has to offer

Find cycling activities near you

See what cycling events and activities are happening across Manchester.

Visit MCR Active to get started.