HEARTFELT pleas are being made to bring back Trafford’s pop-up cycle lanes along the A56 and take action against climate change.

Those behind the Love the Lanes campaign, which saw more than 100 cyclists turn out for group rides along the controversial routes, have called on the council to give families and their children ‘hope’ for the future.

Ruth Hannan, Mary Patel, Philippa Hartley and Cllr Mike Cordingley, (Labour, Gorse Hill), co-wrote a letter to Trafford Council calling for a Citizens Assembly and a ‘build back better’ approach post-Covid.

It said: “The pandemic presented us with a pause from ‘normal’ life, to look forward and take the positive things that started to emerge during lockdown forward: community spirit, neighbours helping each other, cleaner air, more insects and less traffic.

“Lockdown happened, and traffic disappeared overnight; you could cross the road safely, you could walk along Chester Road and fill your lungs with clean air. As discussion of the easing of lockdown began, something miraculous appeared: pop-up cycle lanes. Suddenly, I had hope."

But the letter's authors blamed a social media outcry for dashing their hopes.

A council spokesman said: "Trafford Council and the One Trafford Partnership are implementing changes to the temporary cycle lanes along the A56 following the easing of lockdown restrictions. The alteration to the cycle lanes was a data-led decision based on increasing traffic volumes and an approach to seek to accommodate all road users."