Trafford’s Kingsway upgrade completes
Funded in part through a £17.6m Future High Streets award, the improvements included resurfacing the Stretford stretch between Chester Road and Barton Road, reducing it to two single lanes, and installing new crossing points.
AE Yates was the main contractor for the Trafford Council project and started on site last year. The scheme also featured a variety of public realm enhancements, including more trees, play areas, lighting changes, and the introduction of sustainable drainage via rain gardens.
The sun loungers by the road, which were the subject of a fair few press stories in February, were also part of the project.
LK Group was the project manager for the Kingsway and Barton Road works. The project team included Civic Engineers, Simon Fenton Partnership, and Exterior Architects.
The Kingsway roadwork is part of the larger regeneration of the Stretford Mall area, which Trafford Council is delivering in partnership with Bruntwood. This wider project will ultimately reduce the mall’s floorspace by a third and introduce 800 homes to the area.
Caddick Construction, as the main contractor for the mall-side of the scheme, is on site for its first phase, which is focussed on restoring King Street to its heyday as an open-air high street.
“These are hugely exciting times for Stretford,” said Cllr Liz Patel, Trafford Council’s executive member for economy and regeneration.
She also said: “Stretford town centre is being transformed into a great place for residents, shoppers, and businesses. Kingsway and the Barton Road junction already look fabulous and will make the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists, while complementing the redevelopment of Stretford Mall.”
Looks great – this everywhere please.
By Anonymous
Not sure about the choice of yellow paving
By Anonymous
Much nicer than the smelly, dirty car sewer it was just a few months ago. And look! The world hasn’t ended, the sky hasn’t fallen in. Almost as if reclaiming space from cars to plant trees and greenery is a good thing that we should see more of.
By Anonymous
This is a prime example, of how pathetically slow infrastructure work is in this country. Half a mile of road, and years of disruption. It looks nice but why has it taken so long?
By Elephant
It certainly looks much better down here. Now to see if anybody actually looks after it…
Stretford Mall is quite an architectural marvel, which ever angle you look at it, it’s like your looking at the back of it! A lot of effort is going in to polishing a proverbial. It would have been better to get rid entirely, IMHO.
By Anonymous
Really excellent public realm transformation. Only thing I’d have liked to have seen is some improvements to the junctions either side for cyclists (advance stop lines are not sufficient)
By Levelling Up Manager
It is an amazing transformation but they have used loose stones which are already everywhere – in a few years it will be looked back upon as a poor design choice
By Local
Absolutely game-changing scheme. Normally you have to look to London for a precedent with this level of public realm. Proof that a “highways” scheme can also be a good “place”.
By Fantastic
First heard about this idea probably ten years ago when working on a previous version of the town centre regen. Good to see it finished but it’s taken years – and a Labour Administration to complete it.
By Dave was here
The salty tears of all the drivers who would race down the outside lane and would then cut in an put pedestrians at risk to jump the queue, are delicious. Finally Kingsway is a safe area. 🙂
By Mr Giggles
A Labour administration had literally nothing to do with this . Not one thing.
By Anonymous
My main quwstion is can we now get off at the old bus stop outside of Stretford Arndale Centre?
Kingsway did need a revamp but not the dogs dinner of a job we. have been lwft with. Cycle lanes complete waste of time, just like the ones built in Chorlton, another I5 million ponds of tax payers money down the drain.
We all know the the pavement is the Cyclist lane of choice.
By M21 Res Ild Bat Lady
It’s a really nice scheme and looks great. It’s a shame the cycleways are bumpy though, and that they don’t have any protection at the junctions at either end.
By Flixton resident