Warrington Borough Counil has received a £9.4 million funding boost from the government’s ‘Local Regeneration Fund’. The grant will be used to deliver a package of improvements to reconnect settlements in North Warrington and improve community facilities, including new and improved Active Travel routes.
The Warrington North package includes five separate projects grouped into three geographical areas:
- Burtonwood – a walking, wheeling (wheelchairs, prams and non-electric scooters) and cycling route linking Clay Lane and Burtonwood Community Centre/Chapel Lane. A better surface will be provided to allow year-round use, and the route will be more accessible for people in wheelchairs and mobility scooters. A key project will also be improvements to Burtonwood Community Centre to upgrade the building and its facilities for the benefit of local people. There will also be improvements to the facilities at the recreation ground in the village.
- Winwick and A49 – the upgrade of the off-highway route alongside the A49 between Cromwell Avenue and Winwick to provide an improved walking, wheeling and cycling route. The upgraded route would allow safer and more direct access for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Culcheth – the provision of an improved, traffic-free walking, wheeling and cycling and route suitable for all users between Birchwood and Culcheth.
Of particular relevance are the Burtonwood and Culcheth schemes. The former will provide a shared use path which is useable all year round and is suitable for walking, wheeling (wheelchairs, prams, and non-electric scooters) and cycling. It will connect Clay Lane to Chapel Lane via the Burtonwood Community Centre.
The Culcheth Active Travel scheme aims to improve walking, wheeling and cycling links between Culcheth and towards Birchwood to improve access to job opportunities in Birchwood, the motorway service area development, and areas in Warrington south of the M62. The scheme will also ‘give leisure opportunities’ for residents to access green spaces.
(Picture: Yay Images)
