Westmorland and Furness Council is gearing up to start construction of a 0.7 mile route for people to walk, wheel and cycle along Abbey Road in Barrow-in-Furness.
The upcoming scheme follows the recent completion of 1.4 miles of new infrastructure on North Walney that is already transforming journeys between Vickerstown Park and Earnse Bay.
From Friday 30 June, 12 months of works will create a dedicated space for people to travel actively between Ramsden Square and the junction of Park Drive.
Road safety is a key priority of the design, with minimal changes to existing traffic lanes planned to avoid disruption to journey times for those traveling by motor vehicle – a clear request from respondents during the Council’s public consultation in May 2023.
The plans will see new cycle lanes created within the existing wide pavements on both sides of Abbey Road that are designed to support safe and fully accessible journeys. The lanes will run behind bus stops to fully separate cyclists from motorists, whilst providing a dedicated space for pedestrians using public transport.
To enhance safety and ease of movement, all junctions along the route are being upgraded. Raised tables will be added at several side road junctions to help prioritise pedestrians and cyclists and to provide safer, more convenient crossing points.
Parallel crossings and Toucan crossings with dedicated space for pedestrians and cyclists will be provided elsewhere, ensuring the new infrastructure does not impact other transport modes.
While some delays are expected during construction, they will be carefully managed through a detailed construction and traffic management plan aimed at minimising disruption. The scheme will be delivered in four phases, using short lane closures to ensure both the safety of site operatives and steady progress throughout the works.
The Council is delivering this project as part of its wider commitment to make active travel the natural choice for everyday journeys, improve health and connect communities more sustainably.
The route will ‘actively’ link communities surrounding Abbey Road to nearby neighbourhoods, local schools, shops, essential services and major employers across the town.
Westmorland and Furness Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Regulatory Services, Councillor John Murray said: “This scheme marks another important step in our efforts to make travel in Barrow safer, greener and more accessible for everyone.
“The Abbey Road route has been shaped by the views of local residents and offers a thoughtfully designed space for people to walk, wheel and cycle, all while keeping disruption for drivers to a minimum.
“It also builds on the success of the fantastic new route on North Walney, which is already proving popular with residents across the Island.”
The £5 million investment includes £3.2 million from Active Travel England’s Fund 3 and £1.7 million from the Barrow Town Deal Fund.
Graham Grant, Active Travel England Deputy Chief Executive Officer said: “The Abbey Road walking, wheeling and cycling scheme aims to create safer, seamless and accessible active travel options for residents to use for years to come.
“Enabling more people to choose active travel to get where they need to be is one of the most effective actions we can take to help build a happier, healthier and greener nation.”
The Brilliant Barrow initiative is a series of innovative projects funded by £25 million from the Government's Towns Fund designed to help the town and its communities to thrive into the future.
Steve Cole, CIO and Operational Improvement Director at BAE Systems and Chair of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board said: "All the Brilliant Barrow projects are collectively building on our economic strengths, rich industrial heritage, natural beauty and sense of community to develop our town to be the place of choice - a great choice to live, study, work and visit and home to a healthy population that can deliver a prosperous, inclusive and fair future.
"It is fantastic to see work start on this project, which will contribute to the wider vision of creating a network of safe, attractive, and well-connected routes across Barrow, improving overall levels of health and wellbeing while also reducing emissions from vehicles – contributing to fresher air and a cleaner environment."
Contractor Thomas Armstrong will begin work at Ramsden Square, progressing along the left side of Abbey Road to Park Drive, before crossing over to complete the remaining sections. Mark Steele, Civil Engineering and Highways Director said: “Thomas Armstrong are delighted to be awarded the Abbey Road Active Travel Scheme contract and look forward to a successful completion within time and budget.
“As a Cumbrian contractor established in 1830 with 180+ years of experience, we have completed many schemes for the local authorities within the area.
“When designing the scheme one of our main focuses was the impact of carbon footprint, to reduce this, we have sourced local materials and will be using local workforce.
“Providing social value is also a big priority, we will be investing and supporting community groups where possible throughout the project.”
Updates will be shared throughout the construction of the Abbey Road cycling and walking route on the council’s social media pages and on a noticeboard in Barrow Library.
The project team responsible for the works on Abbey Road can be contacted by email at AbbeyRoad@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.
The investment in active travel across Barrow are a part of the Council’s wider effort to encourage more people to walk, wheel, and cycle for everyday journeys. This work includes identifying, developing, and securing funding for improvements set out in the Westmorland and Furness Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs).
Visit Cumbria’s new Travel Actively Website to discover inspiring local stories on from residents across Westmorland and Furness whose lives have been positively transformed by choosing to walk, wheel, and cycle.
Read more about Westmorland and Furness Council’s Abbey Road cycling and walking scheme and the wider Active Travel Programme.