SEVERAL schemes are due to be completed over the next 12 months across Oldham to help cement a 'transport revolution for Greater Manchester.

Work is ongoing on bridge improvements for Union Street West and King Street, under the Mayor's Challenge Fund, offering new decking for vital bike routes in and around the town centre by next spring.

And £612,000 worth of upgrades of Chadderton should see better crossing and cycling and walking routes locally.

Another £706,000 has been earmarked for Royton town centre, to achieve similar aims. The Chadderton and Royton schemes are due to be completed by autumn 2021.

Oldham will also benefit from a wider £2.2m programne, to upgrade crossing points for cycles across the region, and a £6.1m safety camera initiative.

Mr Burnham said: "It’s been years in the making, but GM’s cycling and walking revolution is finally starting.

"To build the capability and scheme pipeline to deliver a new way of travel for a whole city region has taken us two years, but we are now ready to begin delivery.

"By next summer we will begin to see the fruits of our labour and the region’s residents will finally have the chance to travel to shops and schools easily and safely without using a car.

"This heralds the real start of our cycling and walking story, coincidentally aligning with bike to school week.

“Next year is going to be incredibly exciting with spades going in the ground. This is a huge step towards making Greater Manchester a true cycling and walking city-region."

Olympic legend Chris Boardman, the Greater Manchester Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Chris Boardman, added: “We started this mission nearly two years ago and I’m so pleased with the significant work GM’s local authorities have been doing behind the scenes to get this monumental mission underway.

“The Bee Network was a vision; now, having completed the planning, paperwork and many consultations, we are ready to start making it a reality.

"It will create better places to live and work, give those with a car the option to leave it at home and for those who don’t, it will provide them with a reliable, safe and pleasant network to walk or ride to shops, schools and workplaces.

"This is the beginning of Greater Manchester’s 21st century transport revolution.”

Around 25 miles of pop-up cycling and walking routes will also be delivered by next Spring, as well as two low-traffic neighbourhoods in Salford and Tameside, using government funds in response to the coronavirus pandemic.