Status: Under construction
Funding: Active Travel Fund 3 (ATF3)
Policy Framework: Barrow-in-Furness Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)
Project description
Our scheme will create a safe and continuous active travel route through the town centre of Barrow-in-Furness. It will connect major employers, shops and facilities to nearby residential areas. We'll make improvements along Abbey Road, between Ramsden Square and its junction with Park Drive.
We've secured funding for the scheme from the government's Active Travel Fund 3. We've also received funding through the #BrilliantBarrow Town Deal, part of the government's Towns Fund. We expect the scheme to take up to twelve months to construct and open in Summer 2026.
Project update January 2026
Ramsden Square - Phase One
The majority of works in phase one are now complete. The only remaining task is the installation of one heritage street lighting column, which will be installed as the final piece of work.
Progress to Date
We've completed the following improvements:
- a new bi-directional cycleway around the junction, created within the existing verge and footway space
- parallel crossings on all arms of the junction. This provides dedicated, separated crossing points for both pedestrians and cyclists
- improved traffic flow with the reduction of roundabout entry and exit lanes from two lanes down to one
- a fully resurfaced junction for a smoother and safer surface
- new Belisha beacons and lighting columns installed for improved visibility and safety
Bath Street and Dalkeith Street - Phase Two
Progress to Date
We've made the improvements listed below:
- new uni-directional cycle lanes on each side of Abbey Road, running in the same direction as traffic and making use of the wide existing footways
- a new grass verge strip installed to support improved drainage and enhance the street environment
- improved pedestrian access at the bus stops outside Wetherspoons, with the stops retained and new ‘mini zebra’ crossings added so pedestrians can safely cross the cycle lane to reach the bus shelters
- upgraded traffic signals to support smoother traffic flow and safer crossings
- a new raised table on Bath Street to help slow vehicle speeds and improve safety for all road users
Ongoing and upcoming works
Phase Three - Hartington Street Area
Works are progressing well across phase three, including:
- the existing pedestrian crossing at the Hartington Street junction, which has has been upgraded to a full toucan crossing, allowing both pedestrians and cyclists to cross safely
- the Coronation Gardens bus stops, where works are ongoing to complete the cycle route behind the waiting shelters. As with other locations, ‘mini zebra’ crossings will allow pedestrians to safely cross the cycle lane from the footway to the shelters
Phase three is scheduled for completion in April 2026.
Phase Four - the junction of Holker Street and Rawlinson Street
The cycle route will continue from the junction as a one-way (unidirectional) cycle track on each side of the road.
The junction will feature:
- parallel crossings on all four arms
- enlarged central islands at some of the crossing points, which will comfortably accommodate both cyclists and pedestrians
Phase four is expected to be completed in May 2026.
Road Closures
Hartington Street Junction
The roads will be closed from 19 January 2026 until 13 February 2026.
Holker Street and Rawlinson Street Junctions
The roads will be closed from 16 February 2026 for approximately ten weeks.
Drawings
You can view the scheme at the preliminary design stage in our Abbey Road route plan (PDF , 8.7MB).
Consultation and engagement
We held a public consultation between 19 May and 9 June 2023, to gather feedback on preliminary designs for the project.
We presented two options for consideration, options A and B. Following consultation, Council members endorsed a preliminary design based on option A. This option includes the addition of new one-way cycle lanes, primarily within the existing space for the footways.
You can read full details about options A and B, along with our analysis and summary in our Abbey Road Consultation Report (PDF , 592KB).
This report may not be accessible using assistive technologies. Please contact us if you would like an accessible version.
Contact us
If you have any queries or comments about the project or would like to be added to our mailing list for updates, please contact our project team. Email: abbeyroad@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.