Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram announces £17.5m funding for new pedestrian and cycle links. Tony McDonough reports
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram is investing £17.5m in the first phase of new pedestrian and cycle links for East Runcorn.
This first tranche of funding – approved at June’s meeting of the Combined Authority – will be used to install new cycle routes and widened footpaths along the A56, as well as to improve and upgrade existing infrastructure.
The East Runcorn Connectivity scheme eventually aims to create safe, high-quality active travel routes between the town centre and key locations including Runcorn East rail station, Sci-Tech Daresbury and the new Daresbury Garden Village.
Plans for further phases of the scheme are currently in development at Halton Council and are expected to be submitted to the Combined Authority later this year.
Funding for the project is being drawn from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), a pot of £710m set aside for major transport infrastructure projects across the Liverpool City Region.
Subject to funding being approved at this month’s Combined Authority meeting, construction work on the scheme is set to begin this summer, with plans for completion by autumn 2026.
It is part of wider plans to deliver a 600km network of walking and cycling routes across the six boroughs of the Liverpool City Region – Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral – with more than 260km set to be delivered by the end of 2026.
Mr Rotherham said: “Since I was first elected Mayor, I have been committed to encouraging and supporting active travel as part of my mission to build the world class transport system Liverpool city region deserves.
“Across all six boroughs, we’ve invested more than £70m to upgrade our walking and cycling routes to the rest of our network, linking entire communities up to areas and opportunities that were previously out of reach.”
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Simon O’Brien, Liverpool City Region Cycling and Walking Commissioner, added: “It is fantastic to see this new funding being committed to help create better walking and cycling connections between Runcorn and Daresbury.
“Linking communities, reducing carbon emissions, helping people to be healthier – schemes like this one give us an amazing opportunity to help change the way we think about travelling around our local area.”