Park plan to create ‘green corridor’ through town
REFURBISHMENT works have been completed at Victoria Park in Widnes in a bid to create a ‘green corridor’ through the town.
Halton Borough Council said visitors might now notice that an extra 73 trees have been planted, shrub beds improved and paths renovated for walkers and cyclists.
Funded by £205,000 from the European Regional Development Fund via the Liverpool City Region (LCR), it is hoped the scheme will form a 7.4km ‘green corridor’ linking Prescot, Widnes town centre and Runcorn via the refurbished Silver Jubilee Bridge.
Key employment and housing sites on the route include Halsnead and Cronton Colliery.
A Halton Council spokesman said it began construction of the route in October and finished most of the work before Christmas.
He said the contractor completed the final laying work in mid-August.
The stretch of greenery is the first phase of a proposed 600km cycling and walking network across the LCR to be developed over the next 10 years, linking residential areas with education employment zones.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has launched the project because two thirds of journeys in the city region are under five kilometres but half of those are made by car.
Providing better pedestrian and cycling access is intended to improve health by encouraging more activity and reducing air pollution.
Another goal is to attract talent and investment by making the region a more attractive place to live.
Cllr Stan Hill (transportation) welcomed the work.
He said: “Halton will benefit from this investment by improving the sustainable links between north Widnes to the Silver Jubilee Bridge by formalising a cycle and walking route via Victoria Park, whilst also creating a green corridor towards Widnes town centre.
“This work complements the wider investment to create an attractive cycling and walking network for the residents and visitors to the borough.”
The network will be planned on a whole city region basis, both improving links to the public transport network and between residential areas, employment, training and retail sites. and
Mr Rotheram said: “There are also wider benefits to the economy.
“Safe, pleasant cycling and walking areas, linking well to public transport and key locations, help create those places where people want to live, work and invest.
“And if you are walking or cycling you are not sitting in traffic clocking up lost working hours – something that benefits employees and employers. The programme will also see the management of new wood and grassland areas and the planting of trees alongside the routes.
In addition, the funding will support a new pilot project by Liverpool John Moores University, trialling innovative methods of collecting cycle and walking trip data and the development of a cycling app and journey planner.
The LCR Transport Partnership was awarded £8.3m ERDF Sustainable Urban Development (SUD) funding for the first phase of the cycling and walking network, with the LCR Combined Authority giving approval to draw down this funding.
Match funding for the project is being sought from the Transforming Cities Fund and other contributions will come from the LCR Combined Authority’s local authorities.