| Works are set to start on Westmorland and Furness Council’s new 1.4 mile route for cycling, walking and wheeling on North Walney, Barrow-in-Furness.
From Tuesday 27 August, crews will start working on the scheme that will introduce a dedicated and safe space for the residents of North Walney to ‘travel actively’ into the Barrow town centre, surrounding residential areas and to local schools. Starting at Earnse Bay, new cycling infrastructure, that fully separates cyclists from vehicles, will be developed in verge space to provide a continuous route along West Shore Road to Trent Vale. From Vickerstown Park to the Jubilee Bridge junction on the Promenade, the current path will be upgraded through resurfacing and will be widened to three meters. Plans also include improvements to bus stops and lighting along the route, the installation of new dedicated crossings on Mill Lane and traffic calming measures on the access road to the cut adjacent to Vickerstown Park. New benches and attractive planting will also be introduced along the route and the creation of a rain garden on the Corner of Mill Lane. The £1.5 million scheme will be funded by the Department for Transport’s Active Travel Fund who have ring-fenced monies to improve infrastructure that will encourage active journeys in the area. Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services, Cllr Neil Hughes said: “It is the Council’s ambition to get more people out cycling and walking for leisure and for everyday short journeys. To achieve this, it is important we continue to invest in building a network of sustainable cycling, walking and wheeling routes that people feel safe when using them. “This new route on North Walney will support our communities to ‘actively’ access the growing opportunities in Barrow-in-Furness through improved connections between neighbourhoods and key employment and education sites, making journeys by bike or on foot easier, safer and more enjoyable. “We thank our residents and visitors to the area for your patience as we develop this scheme and I look forward to seeing the finished result.” In a joint-statement, Walney Island Ward Councillors Therese Assouad, Frank Cassidy and Anita Husband said: “We think the new cycleway will prove to be big hit with people of all ages. “The section through Vickerstown Park, in particular, has been subtly designed to improve this part of the island and we are looking forward to work starting soon. “We would like to thank Walney residents for their suggestions along the way and we are grateful to council officers for their expertise in bringing this exciting project together.” Traffic disruption is anticipated to be minimal throughout the entirety of the scheme and any impact will be pre-advertised via signage. The infrastructure is being designed for all people of all abilities and ages so they can choose to walk, wheel or cycle with ease. The North Walney active travel scheme forms a part of the Council’s cycling and walking programme to identify, develop and secure funding to deliver infrastructure improvements identified in the Westmorland and Furness Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs). The LCWIP for Barrow identifies and prioritises future improvements to the area’s cycling and walking network over the next 15 years (2022-2037) and this new route forms are part of that programme. |
