The latest City Ratings from PeopleForBikes have landed, and Greater Manchester has plenty to be proud of. The City of Manchester once again ranks as the most cycle-friendly place in the North West, with its score rising to 65, up from 64 last year, showing steady progress in the right direction.
Afzan Khan, MP for Manchester Rusholme, said he was “proud to see that Manchester Rusholme has rated even higher this year and is the highest rated area in Greater Manchester.” He added, “Walking, cycling and wheeling is an important part of keeping our communities healthy – from improving our air quality to getting more exercise.”
Wigan (58) and Salford (55) also remain solid performers, holding their positions from 2024. While the region’s average sits at 50, still behind London and Hertfordshire, the data reflects strong local efforts to improve active travel in key parts of Greater Manchester.
The annual City Ratings measure how safe, connected and accessible a city’s bike network is, with factors including protected cycle lanes, low-speed streets and safe crossings. It’s a global programme, and this year the UK saw an increase in cities rated – 107 in total, up from 83 last year. New additions like Brighton & Hove and Stevenage show the expanding reach of the data, but Greater Manchester remains one of the best-represented regions outside London.
Campaigners say it’s time for bolder action. Harry Gray from Walk Ride Greater Manchester welcomed Manchester’s progress but warned that “stagnation across the other boroughs shows Greater Manchester isn’t doing enough to build the Active Bee Network.” He said, “In some areas, political will is lacking – councils don’t even have dedicated active travel officers. In others like Manchester and Trafford, political ambition exists but isn’t being matched by funding from Andy Burnham or central government.”
There’s no doubt more needs to be done. While Manchester is making gains, boroughs like Rochdale (45), Oldham (44) and Bury (40) remain near the bottom, with little change from last year. Campaigners are calling for a bigger share of devolution funding to be ringfenced for cycling and walking infrastructure.
While Manchester was named European Capital of Cycling, progress has stalled across the UK. The national average outside London is just 57, compared to 70 in the capital. Although the gap has narrowed slightly from 15 points to 14, the UK continues to fall behind its European neighbours. Cities like Paris, Delft, and The Hague all scored 89, with Cambridge (84) and Hackney (83) the only UK places in the European top 20.
PeopleForBikes President Jenn Dice said, “This year’s City Ratings highlight the progress being made in parts of the UK and the ongoing need for greater investment in safe, connected cycling lanes nationwide. We know that when cities invest in better infrastructure, more people choose to ride.”
In Greater Manchester, the will is there – and with local leaders, campaigners and MPs pushing for more support, there’s a clear roadmap to move from progress to real transformation. As MP Afzan Khan put it, “This growing rating is important in showing a positive step forward and I will continue to support the calls for more active travel in Manchester.”
