Manchester has never been short of regeneration projects.

New neighbourhoods, transport improvements and public spaces have transformed huge parts of the city over the past decade. But while many projects focus on buildings, CyanLines is trying to connect everything in between.

The ambitious proposal would create more than 100 miles of walking, wheeling and cycling routes across Manchester and Salford, linking parks, canals, rivers and public spaces through one connected network.

Now, almost a year after the project was first unveiled, the plans are beginning to gather momentum.

What is CyanLines?

CyanLines is a long-term project designed to make it easier for people to move around Greater Manchester without relying on busy roads.

Rather than creating one new path, the vision is to connect existing green and blue spaces into a continuous network. Parks, canals, rivers, squares and walking routes would all become part of the same system.

Where connections don’t already exist, new infrastructure would fill the gaps. That includes new bridges, upgraded towpaths and, perhaps most eye-catching of all, floating walkways along sections of the River Irwell.

The aim is simple: make nature easier to reach, encourage more walking and cycling, and better connect neighbourhoods across the city.

The latest progress

The project is now moving into its first phase of route design and investment planning.

According to the team behind CyanLines, work is underway with local authorities, landowners and partner organisations to agree the first sections of the network. At the same time, the business case is being developed to help secure future investment.

Four pilot routes are already available for people to explore. Together they cover more than 15 miles, linking places including Mayfield Park, New Islington Marina, Castlefield, Whitworth Park, Victoria Station and Queens Park.

They aren’t the finished product, but they give a good idea of how the wider network could eventually feel.

Floating walkways along the River Irwell

One of the biggest talking points has been the proposal for floating walkways.

Early designs show bright cyan walkways running alongside parts of the River Irwell, creating new routes where riverside access is currently limited.

The plans also include new seating, planting, rowing boat jetties and improved cycling routes, helping people spend more time along waterways that have often been overlooked.

For many people, Manchester’s rivers have never really been destinations. CyanLines hopes to change that by making them part of everyday life rather than simply something to walk past.

Backed by organisations across the city

One supporter of the plans is the National Trust.

The organisation already has a strong connection with Manchester through Castlefield Viaduct, the former railway bridge transformed into the city’s ‘garden in the sky’ in 2022.

The project has shown what’s possible when forgotten infrastructure is given a new purpose. The National Trust is now working on extending the viaduct into a full 330-metre through route, creating more green space above the city and improving links through Castlefield.

That same approach can be seen in CyanLines. Rather than creating something completely new, the project looks at how existing rivers, canals, parks and public spaces can be connected into one continuous network.

Connecting regeneration projects

One of the most interesting parts of CyanLines is how closely it links with Manchester’s wider regeneration.

The proposed routes pass through many of the city’s biggest development areas, including Mayfield, New Islington, Holt Town, Victoria North and the former Central Retail Park, which is set to host thousands of civil servant offices, along with No. 10 North.

Instead of seeing these projects as separate places, CyanLines aims to connect them together, making it easier to walk or cycle between them while spending more time in Manchester’s green spaces.

What happens next?

There’s still a long way to go before the full 100-mile network becomes reality.

The project is expected to be delivered over the next decade, with different sections coming forward as funding and planning are agreed.

But progress over the past year shows the idea is moving beyond concept images. Routes are being tested, partnerships are growing and investment planning is underway.

If delivered as planned, CyanLines won’t just create new walking routes. It could change how people experience Manchester, making the city’s parks, canals and rivers feel less like individual destinations and more like one connected landscape.