en.Wedoany.com Reported - To complete the expenditure plan of approximately £8 million allocated from the Local Regeneration Fund (LRF) by 2028, Warrington Borough Council is preparing to commission multidisciplinary consultancy AECOM to develop detailed plans for three active travel projects. The proposal will be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration on July 27, alongside other agenda items including bus franchising and the authority's exit from its equity arrangement in challenger bank Redwood.
According to a report submitted to councillors, the three active travel schemes are located in Burtonwood, Culcheth, and along the A49 road connecting Winwick, all falling under the LRF (formerly the "Levelling Up Fund") remit. Warrington has received a total of £9.4 million in LRF funding, of which approximately £8.1 million can leverage additional match funding, bringing the total project cost to around £10.4 million. As individual tender amounts exceed £250,000, with three ranging between £314,000 and £376,000, Cabinet approval is required before contracts can be awarded.
The specific plans for the three projects are as follows: The Burtonwood scheme has a total estimated cost of £1.9 million, covering upgrades to community buildings (including Burtonwood Community Centre and Gorsey Lane Pavilion) and the construction of an active travel route connecting Clay Lane and Green Jones Brow; the Winwick scheme, with a budget of £6.3 million, involves building a travel route along the A49 road linking Rectory Lane and the Cromwell Avenue roundabout; the Culcheth scheme, budgeted at £2.2 million, starts from New Hall Lane, connects with the overall improvement works at Junction 11 of the M62 motorway, and ultimately leads to Birchwood.
Since the overall LRF plan was confirmed in November 2024, preliminary designs, site surveys, and initial engagement with landowners have been completed. According to the funding timeline, LRF funds must be spent by March 2028, with corresponding delivery plans to be completed by the 2027-28 financial year. To this end, officials have scheduled subsequent milestones: developing detailed designs and engaging early with contractors to lock in precise costs and timelines; conducting supplementary ecological and environmental surveys; preparing and submitting planning permission applications for the Burtonwood and Culcheth schemes; confirming public right-of-way changes and land agreements to secure access along the routes; procuring and awarding construction contracts; and ultimately implementing construction in the 2027/28 financial year.
The council is currently seeking authorisation for the local executive director to formally commission AECOM to advance these projects. Overall, each route is designed to provide an alternative for pedestrians or cyclists, bypassing busy trunk roads. The Burtonwood scheme aims to offer a safer passage than the Chapel Lane or Farmers Lane/Tan House Lane sections; the Culcheth project focuses on improving transport accessibility to the Birchwood employment cluster.
