Multi-million pound cycling investment for Preston as part of City Deal

Preston Council is set to allocate cash from the City Deal community infrastructure plan to a number of significant cycling improvements. These include a £2m project to create a cycle link to the railway station which would include a new cycling hub, as well as resurfacing of the Preston Guild Wheel, a 21-mile walking and cycling route that encircles the city.

Speaking about the planned investment the leader of Preston Council, Peter Rankin, told the Lancashire Evening Post: “It shows that we are very serious about cycling in Preston. We are endeavouring to improve cycling by providing more facilities and more cycle ways to add to what’s already been done with the Guild Wheel.”

The proposed £2m East Cliff cycle link and railway station cycle hub would be funded by Lancashire County Council, Network Rail and Virgin Rail, with a £200,000 contribution from the community infrastructure plan. It would link South Ribble and Avenham and Miller parks to the city centre and station and would involve the replacement of the East Cliff Bailey Bridge.

There will also be a £45,000 City Deal Cycling Strategy intended to build on schemes such as the Guild Wheel as well as further improvements to the Guild Wheel itself.

An £80,000 City Deal contribution has been proposed for the surfacing of an off-road section of the route between Blackpool Road and Lancaster Canal towpath; £60,000 has been earmarked for the Bluebell Way alternative route; while £50,000 has been set aside for resurfacing of Watery Lane, which will allow cyclists to access the Guild Wheel and Fishwick from the Inner East Preston area.

A number of non-cycling cultural projects are also set to be given the go-ahead during what Rankin described as ‘a hugely exciting time’.

“This is exactly what City Deal is all about – major investment in Preston’s transport and community infrastructure. This is game changing investment that’s creating new, sustainable communities and unlocking Preston’s true economic potential.

“New roads, new cycle ways, new homes, new business and thousands of new jobs are all on their way. It’s a hugely exciting time for Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire and we can just start to see now exactly how City Deal will benefit the city and surrounding areas.”