The result of a hearing on Stretford’s controversial pop-up bike lanes is to remain a mystery until after the May election due to the scale of the reaction from residents.
A six-week hearing closed more than three months ago in December, but the Trafford Council needs more time to trawl through what it described as thousands of responses.
It said it will not be able to announce the outcome of the hearing before March 28, when pre-election restrictions on communications start ahead of the May election.
Cllr Andrew Western, head of the council, said: “We understand that this is an important issue and that the delay is frustrating both for ourselves as a council and for residents throughout the borough.
“It’s an important decision. More cars are now back on the roads and we need to assess how we handle this increased traffic while supporting active driving.
“I would like to thank everyone again for participating in the consultation and look forward to reporting back to the municipality, businesses and residents with the results.”
The bike lanes were installed in the form of traffic cones on Bridgewater Way, Chester Road and Edge Lane during the closure in 2020.
They were installed to promote active travel and social distancing, but residents complained of problems such as congestion and pollution, and a petition called ‘No Cones on Chester Road’ attracted more than 2,500 signatures.
The six-week consultation was not intended as a referendum, but the council assured residents that their opinions are an important factor in the future of bike paths.