Halton Active Travel Cycle Route Enhancement

‘HAVE YOUR SAY’ – ACTIVE TRAVEL HALTON, WILMERE LANE AND BIRCHFIELD ROAD

Halton Borough Council is committed to developing a modern, inclusive and connected transportation network, as well as improving the wellbeing of its residents.

The Council is seeking your views on early-stage plans for a strategic Active Travel Route which is planned to extend along Wilmere Lane, Lunts Heath Road and Birchfield Road, from Warrington Road to Widnes Train Station.  This Active Travel Route will connect to proposals in the north presented by St Helens Borough Council for an Active Travel Route along Jubits Lane and Chester Lane, which will to connect to the CYCLOPS junction at the Clockface Roundabout and into St Helens Town Centre.

The proposed routes in North Widnes on Wilmere Lane, Lunts Heath Road and Birchfield Road will provide safe, convenient connections to Widnes Station, Cronton College, Wade Deacon High School and the Wilmere Lane Playing Fields.  Future east-west connections on Cronton Lane and Lunts Heath Road to connect existing and new residential sites are also planned.

The proposals include the provision of high-quality dedicated facilities for people travelling on foot and by bike. This will entail, in part, the construction of a new protected two-way cycle track and separate pedestrian footway.  Throughout the length of the route, junctions will be upgraded to give enhanced priority and protection to cyclists and pedestrians.  Additional push-button signalised crossings are planned and would be available to both cyclists and pedestrians for better connections across communities.

These proposals are at an early stage of design, with no implementation funding or delivery timescales currently secured. However, we are asking you to help us shape the projects and have your say about the proposals at this early stage to ensure our emerging schemes meet the needs of the communities they will serve.

During the consultation period two drop-in events will be held to enable you to view the proposals and discuss your thoughts with representatives of Halton Borough Council and the Design Team.  These drop-in events will be held at the following times and locations:

• Monday 3 June 15.30-18.00 Widnes Cricket Club, Beaconsfield Road WA8 9LA
• Wednesday 12 June 17:30-20:00 Cronton 6^th Form College, Cronton Lane WA8 5WA

Detail on the proposals, along with frequently asked questions, are also available to view on our website at activetravel.haltonbc.info

At either the in-person events or accessed via our webpage you will be able to complete a brief survey, to share your thoughts on the proposals.  If you do not have access to a computer, paper copies of the questionnaire will be made available at the in-person events for you to fill in.

Your views will be invaluable in helping us to shape the design of this project, but all responses must be received by 30 June 2024.  The final scheme will be subject to further engagement prior to any construction works.

We hope you will help us shape these existing projects to help make Halton a safer, healthier and more accessible environment for all our residents and communities.

Alongside the Liverpool City Region Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), Halton Borough Council is developing its own Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). These documents indentify future projects to link the main Active Travel corridors to the Borough’s residential, employment and leisure sites.

The emerging Halton LCWIP sets out how a network of high-quality active travel routes can be created so it is easier, safer and more attractive for everyone to be able to choose to travel on foot or by bike, particularly for short journeys.  We are doing this because:

• We want to facilitate healthier and happier lifestyles. Safe active travel routes will contribute to improving activity levels and enabling healthier choices, and help reduce childhood obesity.
• We are committed to tackling climate change. Increasing travel by low-carbon modes will significantly reduce emissions and pollution, creating a better environment for everyone.
• We want to maximise choices and opportunities for all our residents to access local services, education and employment. High quality well-connected active travel routes will enable people to travel via low or no-cost modes, assisting with the cost-of-living crisis and creating an inclusive economy.

We look forward to hearing your views on how we can expand the active travel network within our borough, to make walking and cycling safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable.