Connect 2 Burnley and Padiham

The Connect 2 Burnley and Padiham project aims to develop a network of new greenway routes linking Burnley with Padiham to make it more attractive to walk and cycle in the area.

The project is one of 79 included by Sustrans in their £50 million bid to the Living Landmarks Lottery, which was decided by TV audience in December 2007. On Wednesday 12th December it was announced that the Sustrans Connect 2 project had won The People's £50 Million lottery, the largest ever publicly-decided funding award. Connect 2 secured 42% of all the votes cast beating rival projects from The Eden Project, Sherwood Forest and Black Country Urban Park. ITV featured each of the four proposed initiatives, and members of the public were able to vote by phone and online before the poll ended on Monday 10th December.

The lottery funding will be available from January 2008 with 5 years to create the new cycle and pedestrian links.

The Burnley and Padiham project links to other regeneration initiatives in the Burnley area including the Weavers' Triangle Regeneration, Elevate Housing Market Renewal and Building Schools for the Future. It should help improve the quality of life in the area, leading to more people walking,cycling and enjoying healthy lifestyles.

The project consists of:

Rose Grove - Padiham Greenway

REMADE in Lancashire are leading on the scheme to convert the old railway to a greenway. In the longer term it is hoped to extend the route along the length of the old railway through to Great Harwood to link with an existing cycle route from Blackburn.

There will be links from the Greenway to employment areas, Padiham Town Centre, Memorial Park, Gawthorpe Hall and Shuttleworth College.

Sweetclough Greenway

This route follows the green corridor alongside Sweetclough Beck between the proposed railway path and Gannow Lane and will provide an attractive alternative route into Burnley to the old railway. It will link with the existing cycle path between M65 Junction 10 and the canal bridge.

Canal towpath

The project aims to improve the canal towpath between Gannow Tunnel and the proposed railway path. The canal towpath through the Weavers Triangle is being upgraded as part of the redevelopment of the area.

Pendle Way - Burnley Town Centre

It is planned to improve the paths between Pendle Way, Holme Road and Willow Street to offer pedestrians and cyclists a direct route into Burnley town centre and new college site.

Weavers Triangle

It is planned to improve links from the Weavers Triangle into Burnley town centre, and provide a cross-town route linking the canal with Central Station, Anchor Retail Park and the new college site using side streets to improve cycle access to the town centre.

Scheme Plan

The proposed routes for each section can be seen on this plan. (size 3.77mb)

Connect 2

Connect 2 will cost £140m in total and aims to improve walking and cycle routes in 79 communities across the country. Padiham is one of these projects and will receive approximately £300,000 from Connect 2 to create a new greenway along the former Great Harwood - Burnley railway line and improve links towards Padiham and Burnley from the railway.

Website: www.sustransconnect2.org.uk

Sustrans

Sustrans is the UK leading sustainable transport charity, working on practical projects to increase cycling, walking and sustainable transport, including safe routes to school and the national cycle network. Once completed, the route along the former railway line will form part of the national cycle network.

Website: www.sustrans.org.uk

REMADE

REMADE in Lancashire are a derelict land reclamation programme based at Lancashire County Council and funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). They aim to reclaim dewrelict land across the county for uses such as parks, nature reserves, cycleways & bridleways.

Website: www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/remade

Greenway Routes in the Burnley Area

The proposed greenways will link with the new Brun Valley Greenway running through parks and river valleys to Briercliffe, Brownside and Pike Hill and the canal towpath north of the town, which has now been upgraded all the way to Barnoldswick. Together with Connect 2 these projects should lead to a step change in the greenway provision in Burnley, leading to more people walking and cycling, and enjoying healthy lifestyles.

Greenways elsewhere in Lancashire

Greenways elsewhere in the county for example in the Lancaster area have lead to an increase in people walking and cycling, helping improve the quality of life and the environment, encouraging people to lead healthier and more active lifestyles. The Millennium Bridge in Lancaster for example regularly receives flows of over 1000 cyclists and 2000 pedestrians a day.

Websites: www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/cycling or www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/countryside

Further Information

Environment Directorate
Lancashire County Council
PO Box 9
Guild House
Cross St
Preston PR1 8RD

Website www.lancashire.gov.uk/environment/remade

Padiham - Rose Grove Greenway: Roy Halliday

Phone:	01772 530652
Email:	roy.halliday@env.lancscc.gov.uk

Other Routes: Alasdair Simpson

Phone:	01772 534609
Email:	alasdair.simpson@env.lancscc.gov.uk