Council's designs for improving cycling and walking in busy part of Northampton set for public consultation this autumn

Revised plans to improve walking and cycling routes in a busy part of Northampton are set to move forward this autumn, according to the council.

West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) says it is currently shaping revised 'active travel plan' designs for the areas of Rushmere Road and Billing Road and is expected to seek people’s views on the proposals later this year.

The council says the plans focus on providing improved travel options, including cycling routes and pedestrian access.

It follows a rethink by the council on the previous Billing Road Corridor scheme put forward by the former county council in 2020, following concerns from residents around the proposals.

WNC says it is now leading the project and has been working closely with stakeholders to listen and respond to feedback to revise the proposals. New design options are now being considered, with a view to presenting these to the public for their comments later this year.

Councillor Phil Larratt, cabinet member for highways, transport, and environment at WNC, said: “As a council, we are committed to listening to and responding to our residents' feedback.

"The previous plans of the former county council for the Billing Road corridor were not acceptable to the public nor were they suitable for the needs of our community. Therefore, I can again confirm that the previous scheme is completely off the table and will not be progressed any further.

"However, we have been working hard looking at design options for other schemes improving pedestrian and cycling facilities in the locality and we are in the process of narrowing down these designs.

"We look forward to presenting these designs to the public for their consideration as we prepare to launch a public consultation later this year.”

The public consultation will be shared on WNC’s channels. To stay up to date, visit www.westnorthants.gov.uk

The Department for Transport allocated funding to local authorities to encourage more walking and cycling following the Covid-19 pandemic, with WNC receiving close to £1.4million which is called the ‘Active Travel Fund’.

For more information on how the funds have been spent, click here.

Editor's note: Contrary to a report published by the Chronicle and Echo earlier this week, all plans for the Billing Road corridor are now 'off the table', according to councillor Phil Larratt. The story correction comes following a mix up in communication between the Chron and WNC in relation to a number of schemes planned in the area. We are happy to clarify the matter and apologise for any confusion caused.