Work is scheduled to start later this month on a new Shared Access Improvement Scheme on the north side of Kendal.
Cumbria County Council is investing approximately £400,000 in the scheme to renew and improve the footway, which will create space for pedestrians, mobility scooters and cyclists.
Work on the improvement scheme will start on Monday 23 September and is expected to last for three months. The works are part of a package of Active Travel improvements in Kendal designed to help more people to make journeys around the town on foot or by bike, helping to reduce congestion and improving the environment.
The improvements will involve:
- 1.21km of footway widening on Shap Road, from north of Queen Katherine Avenue to Longpool, to allow for a 3m wide traffic free shared use path.
- 956m of on-road cycle advisory signage on Wildman Street, Ann Street, Castle Street, Castle Garth and Kirkbie Green.
Cumbria County Council has secured funding from the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the improvements. Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd has been appointed as the main contractor for the scheme.
The Shared Access Improvement Scheme for North Kendal, together with the new bridge at Gooseholme scheduled for construction in 2020, means Cumbria County Council will be investing approx. £2m in Active Travel in Kendal.
Cllr Peter Thornton, Deputy Leader of Cumbria County Council and Local Member for Kendal Strickland and Fell, said: “The North end of Kendal has seen much development over the past few years and badly needs a new pavement to serve the supermarkets, stores, relocated Rugby Club complex and Queen Katherine secondary school.
“I’m delighted that we have secured funding to deliver a wider shared use pathway which will allow safe passage to pedestrians, mobility scooters and recreational cyclists. Along with the new Gooseholme bridge this will enable us to move significantly towards the delivery of the ‘Kendal X’ network as envisaged by my predecessor the late John McCreesh.”
The ‘Kendal X’ was envisaged to provide sustainable travel routes from the North to the South of Kendal. These sustainable travel routes will link up major infrastructure, including both secondary schools, supermarkets, business areas, Kendal town centre, Kendal Railway Station, Westmorland Hospital and leisure facilities such as Kendal Leisure Centre, Kendal Rugby Club, Kendal Cricket Club and Kendal Football Club.
