Anyone ride to Manchester Airport?

thistle_

Latest office relocation over this weekend. This time we are moving to one of the business parks just to the east of Manchester Airport.

I'll be coming from Chester down the M56 and parking up somewhere then riding the last 10-15 miles or so.

Can anyone recommend a route or somewhere to park up for the day?

I went for a recce the other day at lunchtime. Wilmslow Road wasn't much fun riding along and I get the feeling Runger Lane could be similar at 8am/5pm.

Coming through Hale Barns and down the back roads seems like the best route at the moment.

Origamist

I’d come in through Hale. Not sure where you are going to park up and get on the bike (Lymm or Dunham Massey area?), but you’ll have options heading to Hale.

Nr the airport from the West: Runger Lane is not too bad, 40mph limit, narrowish and can be busy with large vehicles(there's a shared path, but I use the road). I generally avoid Wilmslow Road (50 mph limit - there is a cycle path along one side but it’s full of crap/debris). My choice would be: Thorley Lane, Roaring Gate Lane, Clay Lane (bit narrow though). You can also go through Hale via Chapel Lane, Sunny Bank Lane, Avro Way and Runger Lane. Hale Road (A538) is a gentle hill but quite long - it's pretty busy in the rush hour but OK - 30mph limit).

If you need any more advice, let me know.

bedraggled

To get from the West to the East side of the airport there's the Manchester Airport Orbital Cycle Route, which gets you around the airport, but to the south of Runway 2 isn't particularly suitable for road bikes but cross bikes and mountain bikes are fine. I'd approach it via Ashley along Castle Mill Lane and Mill Lane.

thistle_

Thanks for the ideas, I'll try them out once we're settled in a bit.

I wasn't aware of the orbital cycle route. I ride an old mountain bike to work so going around the south might be ok.

philuk86

Hello,

I think there are a couple of options depending on how early/or late you want to leave the M56

You could get of the M56 quite early, somewhere close to where it meets with the M6 around Knutsford would be ideal. Parking opportunities are not great but if it was me i would probably just park on the street somewhere on the outskirts of town. Apart from in the town centre i don't remember there being a lot of restrictions. Knutsford is quite an affluent low crime area. There are lots of lanes that you can use to avoid most of the fast moving traffic to Tatton park. From there you could go through tatton park (its free on a bike) and along Ashley road. This would put you at the back of the airport and from there there is a dedicated cycleway you can use that follows the main road around the airport to the business parks you are talking about. I guess its the one they just finished building?

Otherwise, while your new to the area, it might be worth following the M56 onto princess parkway and parking closer to the city centre. From there you can ride out of the city which will be much easier during the rush-hour. There are lots of street parking opportunities in any one of the suburbs, i.e. Heaton Moor, Didsbury, Burnage. I would probably prefer taking palatine road to wilmslow road, going through northendon and wythenshaw up to the airport. In any case, the roads are quite wide in manchester even if they are a bit busy.