Improving walking, wheeling and cycling access in Northwich
Cheshire West and Chester Council has been awarded Active Travel England funding to deliver an active travel route from Northwich town centre (Venables Street/Witton Street junction) to Northwich railway station.
Project aims
The project aims to support more people to make short trips by walking, wheeling and cycling by improving accessibility to the main retail areas of the town centre. Northern Rail and the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (formerly Sustrans) have completed improvement work at the rail station, including a separate pedestrian and cycling route through the car park to the station building. The Northwich Active Travel Scheme will complement this work.
The Northwich Active Travel Scheme includes:
- Improved pedestrian crossing points at side roads
- Reduced speed limits to make on-road cycling safer
- New signalised crossing for pedestrians and cyclists over Chester Way
- Improved public realm and junction at Venables Way
- New cycle parking
Indicative programme:
- Active Travel England review of designs – completed 2024 and 2025
- Detailed design – completed May 2025
- Construction scheduled for March 2026 to July 2026
The works are programmed to take place in the following 4 phases:
- Chester Way and Church Road - Monday 2 March to Thursday 16 April 2026
- Witton Street, Old Warrington Road and Station Road - Thursday 16 April to Thursday 14 May 2026
- Venables Road, Albion Road, and Witton Street - Friday 15 May to Friday 19 June 2026
- Station Road, Manchester Road, Victoria Road, Kingsway, Church Road & Princes Avenue - Wednesday 17 June to Wednesday 22 July 2026
All work is weather dependant and will require some temporary road closures and diversions to be in place.
What is being delivered?
There are two routes being delivered. Route A and Route B.
Route A along Station Road/Witton Street
Provides a direct pedestrian route along Station Road, across Chester Way on to Witton Street to the town centre
Works on Route A include:
- upgrading traffic signals and crossings to Toucan crossings – these new crossings will allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross more safely and conveniently, particularly for those travelling to and from the train station
- improving street lighting along the full length of Station Road
- reducing the speed limit to 20 mph on Station Road and Witton Street
- adding new pedestrian crossing points on Station Road and Old Warrington Road – improving access and safety for people walking in the area and visiting local businesses
- widening the footway on Witton Street – this will provide a smoother, more accessible, and level path for pedestrians
- installing a raised table on Venables Road – this will act as a traffic calming measure, helping to slow vehicles and improve safety. New crossing points, including a zebra crossing, will also be introduced to make it easier for pedestrians to move around the town centre. Additional changes to the existing central island will support smoother and safer cycling routes through the town centre
Route B along Victoria Road and Kingsway
Provides an on-road cycle route with pedestrian improvements along Victoria Road and Kingsway
Works on Route B include:
- installing and upgrading new crossing points along Victoria Road
- installing a new Toucan crossing over Chester Way – this will make it safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross from Church Road onto Witton Street, providing a better connection to the town centre
- upgrading street lighting on Victoria Road, Kingsway, and Church Road – for better visibility and safety
- installing /upgrading pedestrian crossing points along Church Road
- introducing a one-way system on Kingsway – traffic will flow from Chester Way towards Victoria Road. This change will help manage vehicle movement more effectively and create a safer environment
Current work that has been started
Your views
Thank you to everyone who took part in the public engagement in November and December in 2023. Two hundred people took part in our online survey and we had more than 50 people give comments at the drop in sessions at Brio Memorial Court.
Other feedback has also been gathered to understand the practicalities of the proposed routes, including comments by email, social media and a range of meetings with stakeholders. Feedback from the engagement activity has been analysed and informed the development of detailed designs.
Local residents suggested additional changes to some roads on Route A and Route B. These were consulted on in October 2024 and Traffic Regulation Orders have now been made.
Frequently asked questions
Any concerns from residents or businesses regarding deliveries, access, or the programme of works can be raised with site operatives or can be submitted via our reporting system: Report it. All enquiries related to the project are forwarded directly to Colas, and a response will be provided within 10 working days.
The works have been carefully phased to minimise disruption as far as reasonably practicable. Traffic management has been designed to maintain access where possible, reduce impacts on key routes, and ensure public and workforce safety. We will monitor traffic conditions throughout the programme and make adjustments where necessary to mitigate significant impacts and support business continuity.
Active Travel is about travelling to different places, usually by either walking, cycling or wheeling. This is typically for short or local journeys. Not only does this have great environmental benefits such as reduced carbon emissions, it also helps you get out and about.
This project aims to create a safer route for walking, wheeling and cycling, helping to improve and create a more accessible route from Northwich railway station to the town centre.