Greens urge council to accelerate improvement of cycling infrastructure

WARRINGTON and Halton Green Party (WHGP) is urging Warrington Borough Council (WBC) to accelerate the improvement of cycling infrastructure and uptake within Warrington.

Whilst the council has a current Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) which appears aspirational and well-conceived, it extends up to 2029 and has been overtaken by recent events.
WHGP Transport Spokesperson Mike Wass said: “We cannot wait until 2029; during the lock down cycling has increased up to 70% in some areas.
“Central government wants to sustain this both as lockdown eases – to help maintain transport capacity – and in the long term to achieve the environmental and wellbeing benefits of active travel.
“Most working-age residents in Warrington have a commute less than 5km in length, a highly cyclable distance.”
The council’s LCWIP has identified six primary cycling routes into the town centre that could facilitate this – under the ‘Last Mile’ project.

The statutory guidance, “Traffic Management Act 2004: network management in response to COVID-19” was updated on the 23rd May 2020, asking local authorities to install ‘pop up’ cycle lanes and bring forward permanent schemes already planned under LCWIPs.
The UK government has an emergency £250 million Active Travel fund earmarked for the creation of protected spaces for cycling, wider pavements, safer junctions, and cycle corridors – with a further £2 billion investment to follow. WBC should grasp this opportunity to tackle Warrington’s air quality and congestion problems, starting with the development of the six proposed primary cycle routes into the town centre.