Community Led
As the Barrow to Esk project is community led its focus is on identifying and developing routes for community benefit in conjunction with landowners and other stakeholders.
Partnership Working
The project is working in conjunction with the local authorities, LDNPA, Cumbria Tourism, Natural England, and Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (WWCT, formerly Sustrans) to identify and develop routes. Note that several of these organisations proposed route outlines nearly 20 years ago which were not developed.
All of these organisations have identified strategic corridors through our area to meet government objectives. However, these organisations have not yet identified specific routes.
Our project can provide the local input to ensure the optimum routes are developed to meet the needs and aspirations of the community.
Work is Underway
We have started work with WWCT to investigate options following best practise while involving the community in the development of the BEAT Route. WWCT have 40+ years experience developing the National Cycle Network. Priority sections of the route are being identified to build the route by linking communities with no or minimal options for safe active travel.
Developing work in short sections is more manageable for route optioneering, allows benefits to be seen more quickly and funding to be targeted.
Stage 1: Route Optioneering:
Route options will identify a preferred alignment via a robust multi-criteria analysis, prepare a concept design, conduct land ownership enquiries, and develop high level costings for the preferred alignment. Route visualisations will be part of this work to support further campaigning, fund assembly and advocacy. This work will follow Active Travel England’s Rural Delivery Roadmap and adopt a community first approach. Stage 1 provides a package of deliverables which can be used to approach a range of funders, allowing the area to compete with larger towns and cities. By completing the initial design, landowner approach and costing work, the scheme is de-risked, and as such is a more attractive proposition for capital funders.
Stage 2: Detailed design,costing and route construction:
In Stage 2 funding is sought to develop the concept design into a technical package of work that will form the basis of a construction tender package, undertaking the legal processes required to create the route (such as upgraded or new Right of Way designations), and agreeing with local authorities and partners the adoption and ownership of the asset. With this in place, the route can be constructed.
Millom to Silecroft: a priority section
A group of volunteers is looking at potential routes from Millom and Haverigg to Silecroft. This route will connect with the Millom Town Deal improvements to link these communities for access to schools, work, facilities, public transport and leisure. The English Coastal Path goes between these communities but it is not a practicable route for most residents and there are no other active travel options segregated from traffic between these communities.
Millom to The Green: a priority section
This route will connect with the Millom Town Deal improvements to link these communities for access to schools, work, facilities, public transport and leisure.
Kirkby to Askam: a priority section
In conjunction with the Kirkby footpath group a number of volunteers are seeking to identify a link between Askam and Kirkby. The English Coastal Path will go between these communities but it will not be a practicable route for most residents and there are no other active travel options segregated from traffic between these communities.
Broughton in Furness to Duddon River Crossing: a priority section
Residents have identified this stretch of the A595 (High Cross Hill) as a high hazard section with no alternative to the A595.
River crossings
Separate work has been started on options for river crossings (Irt and Duddon) by Natural England through Cumberland Council. The project team will work with these organisations as appropriate to ensure route connections align. There has also been a privately funded study for an Esk crossing which has been considered by the project.
You can reach out to us at: contact@beatroute.org.uk