fossyant said:
PS Avoid Rusholme - I do - the standard of general driving is poor - too many side roads and 'shops' that folk pull into and out of. You make far quicker progress on the alternative routes.
Amen! Wish I could. Got knocked of at the start of Rusholme last week by an un-insured driver. Also been knocked off in Didsbury before. I'd advise if possible, you avoid the built up area's such as
Didsbury: pot holes, busses, always wet road for some reason, and lots of side streets cars pull into/out of
Withington: same as didsbury, the road connecting withington to fallowfield is attrocious also, it you dont total on a pothole the general surface will shake your fillings out
Fallowfield: lots of people and buses and horrific road surface, huge mounds and ditches
Rusholme: full of poor driving, I am not convinced that the majority of the Rusholme demographic would/have pass(ed) a UK driving test, also the police are reluctant to target the area, due to the obvious. Despite a wall of evidence the police have still done absolutely nothing about me being hit by an un-insured driver, they have apparently posted me a self report kit, which I have not recieved, it was a week today since it happened.
If your friend is a cycling novice, then it would be worth building up to doing a good run on a sunday (30 miles or so) and then choosing a longer but safer route to commute. It might end up being about 10 miles each way (20 mile round trip). Its already about 6 mile taking a direct route I believe.
If all he/she wants to do is avoid rusholme, get onto upper brook street on the tesco/cheshire cat junction in fallowfield. Then run down upper brook street and then cut down the closest street to his/her uni building (probly the street where Roscoe building is situated). Upper brook street is much safer and also faster.