A new cycle link nearly a decade in the making has been formally opened.
What used to be a small gap in a fence under a railway bridge is now a formal link between the city’s station and Avenham Park.
Work started at the end of March to create the path between Butler Street that then links to cycle routes in South Ribble which come up into Avenham and Miller Park.
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The ribbon was cut this week by Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport county councillor Warren Goldsworthy.
He said: “The highly-anticipated Butler Street cycleway and footpath will formally connect Preston city centre and the railway station with Avenham Park, Miller Park, and South Ribble.
“It is the final piece of the jigsaw in creating a coherent, walkable, cyclable and integrated transport network across Preston city centre.”
Proposals for the cycle path were first reported by Blog Preston back in 2016 when the work to demolish the Vicars Bridge were being undertaken.
The new path runs underneath the East Cliff bridge and conects to part of a former railway line and then onto cycle routes into South Ribble.
Cabinet member for environmental and community safety at Preston City Council, councillor Freddie Bailey, said: “These cycle improvements are great addition to the city and support our ‘Active Preston’ programme which includes various projects aimed at creating a healthier, more liveable and sustainably connected city.
“We want to encourage more people to walk and cycle with cleaner, safer, easily accessible options to choose from, to help the overall health and wellbeing for our residents.”
The new cycle link, which has been in place since the summer, was welcomed by Avanti West Coast who operate the city’s railway station.
Customer experience director Kathryn O’Brien said: “Preston is a key hub on the West Coast Main Line and we’re pleased even more sustainable transport options are now available here to the hundreds of thousands of people that travel to and from the city each year by rail.
“This new cycle link will support our commitment to make end-to-end journeys seamless.
“By connecting into Preston station, it offers visitors and local people the opportunity to enjoy sustainable journeys more easily – whether it’s travelling for work or exploring the area on two wheels.”
Chair at Community Rail Lancashire, Richard Watts, said: “Community Rail Lancashire welcomes the completion of the path and cycleway to the railway station. It creates a safe off-road route from a large area and will encourage more people to use Active Travel means to reach the station. We will do all we can to work with Lancashire County Council and railway industry to promote this useful link.”
Funding for the cycle link was provided by the government’s ‘Transforming Cities Fund’ which focuses on ‘filling the gaps between the rail station, bus station and University of Lancashire campus’.
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