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• Investment to boost cycling and walking

Knowsley Council and their partners are set to invest almost half a million pounds in some of the most exciting cycle and walking schemes in the country.

Over £250,000 will be invested in a ‘Green Superhighway’, a 2.5km cycling and walking route that will stretch across the borough. A further £250,000 will be invested in an extension and improvements to the existing Whiston Greenway path.

Both of these schemes will create new and improved walking and cycling routes to improve local travel in ways that will benefit the environment and people’s health. The routes will also make it easier for residents to move around Knowsley, to get to school or work, shopping, healthcare or leisure facilities.

To allow people to get the best out of the existing routes across Knowsley, the Council has produced a stunning new Cycle Map. The map gives a bird’s eye view of the best cycle friendly routes across the borough. It shows cycle lanes, quiet roads and the off-road Trans Pennine Trail. The free map is available online, in your local library, leisure centre and One Stop Shop.

Councillor Graham Morgan, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development said:

“With this massive investment into cycling and walking in Knowsley, we are continuing to make greener and healthier travel options a realistic choice for those who live, work or go to school in the borough. Our new cycle map will help more people to follow safer, cycle-friendly routes from one side of the borough to the other.”

Ian Allt, Bike It Officer from the national cycling charity Sustrans, praised the efforts of Knowsley. He said: “Knowsley Council has made some great improvements for cyclists and for those who would like to give cycling a go. The cycle-friendly schemes that they are developing are very exciting.”

Knowsley Council received the funding from Sustrans, the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity, as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s The People’s £50 Million contest and Cycling England ‘Links to Schools’ Programme.

Photo caption:

Pictured on the Tandem is Nigel Fagan a keen cycle enthusiast from Knowsley Conucil and Councillor Graham Morgan, Knowsley Councils Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development.

Notes to Editors:

Knowsley Council’s Local Transport Plan has been awarded an “Excellent” rating by the Government.

Sustrans is the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity.


The Sustrans’ Connect2 Project will revitalise walking and cycling in 79 communities across the UK by creating new walking and cycling routes for the local journeys we all make every day. In December 2007 this ambitious UK-wide project won the public vote in the Big Lottery Fund’s: The People’s £50 Million contest which means that the 79 Connect2 schemes selected by Sustrans will transform local travel in communities.


Knowsley’s Connect2 scheme, the Mineral Greenway is approximately 2.5km in length and has secured an allocation of over £200,000 from Sustrans.


The Mineral Greenway will create a new walking and cycling routes and aims to bring back into use the former Cronton Mineral Railway Line as a shared pedestrian/cycle route.


The Land Restoration Trust is hoping that the centrepiece of the Mineral Greenway will be the £3m redevelopment of the old Cronton Colliery site, which is to be transformed into a attractive, first-class Country Park.


Whiston Greenway is a shared pedestrian and cycle path that runs from Cross Lane, Whiston, to the rear of St Luke’s Primary School, Shaw Lane, Whiston


£87,000 funding received from the Cycling England “Links to Schools” Programme, managed by Sustrans.


It will improve access for children and parents choosing to cycle or walk to St Luke’s Primary School.


It will improve pedestrian and cycling facilities for the wider community and improve access to local key amenities and services such as employment and healthcare.


Knowsley’s cycle map has been developed with TravelWise Merseyside and completes the family of cycle maps for Merseyside, with four others covering Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral.