Active Travel - walking and cycling

Active Travel Fund

The Department for Transport is allocating funding to Local Authorities to improve walking and cycling routes that are high quality and in line with the Government’s design guidance. Cheshire East Council has received a total of £743,000 from the Active Travel Fund towards the implementation of active travel schemes within the borough.

The funding is available in 2 tranches:

Tranche 1 (Summer 2020) supported the installation of temporary projects as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tranche 2 (Summer 2022) supports the creation of more permanent Active Travel projects.

Tranche 2 Consultation

Cheshire East Council secured £588,000 of  DfT funding in the second Tranche of the Active Travel Fund. The grant will be used in conjunction with additional funding currently being sought to implement permanent walking and cycling infrastructure schemes. The proposed schemes were assessed against the council’s key objectives:

• the quality of walking and cycling infrastructure that would be provided
• benefits and the impact on levels of people walking and cycling
• providing an alternative to public transport
• whether the scheme can be delivered within the timescales required by  DfT
• likely acceptability to stakeholders (subject to feedback received as part of the planned engagement activities);
• estimated scheme costs
• value for money

Five schemes were consulted on in February 2021

• West Street, Antrobus Street and Mill Street (Congleton)
• Vernon Way and Market Street (Crewe)
• Black Lane and Hurdsfield Road (Macclesfield)
• Manchester Road (Tytherington)
• Manchester Road (Wilmslow and Handforth)

Following this consultation, feedback has been reviewed and the Manchester Road (Wilmslow and Handforth) and Manchester Road (Tytherington) scheme designs have been developed further.

The Council engaged on the updated proposals for these schemes between Wednesday the 19 of January and Friday the 18 of February.

The feedback will help us to identify what is delivered in Summer 2022 from the current funding the Council holds.

To view full details of the present and previous engagements visit Cheshire East active travel

Tranche 1 Consultation

Eight new temporary schemes came into effect in Autumn 2020 to improve routes to schools and workplaces, boost social distancing, encourage walking and cycling and improve our town centre environments. Measures were also aimed at reserving capacity on public transport for those who need it during the pandemic.

The eight active travel schemes installed include:

• Coronation Street, Crewe
• Crewe town centre
• Congleton town centre
• Macclesfield town centre
• Ivy Road, Macclesfield
• Hawthorn Lane, Wilmslow
• Old Middlewich Road, Sandbach
• Lodge Road, Alsager

Following a review, the Lodge Road scheme in Alsager has been removed. The Council is now reviewing the remaining schemes to determine whether they are amended, removed or made permanent.

To view details of these schemes and provide feedback visit Cheshire East active travel

For wider information about walking and cycling in Cheshire East visit Cheshire East Cycling