Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman launches new Barrow active travel route
Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman has launched a new Abbey Road route designed to make walking, wheeling and cycling easier in Barrow.
The new active travel scheme runs from Ramsden Square to the junction with Park Drive, creating a dedicated route for people travelling through the town without relying on motor vehicles. The project has been delivered by Westmorland and Furness Council with funding from Active Travel England’s Fund 3 and the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Fund. It forms part of wider plans to improve connections around Barrow while supporting the town’s regeneration ambitions.
The completed route uses new active travel lanes within existing pavements on both sides of Abbey Road, providing space that is separated from general traffic. The scheme has also introduced a number of changes intended to make journeys easier and safer for pedestrians, cyclists and people using mobility aids. These improvements are designed to provide a more continuous route through an important part of the town and strengthen links between residential areas and key destinations.
Among the features included are cycle lanes positioned behind bus stops, mini zebra crossings and upgraded junctions along the route. New heritage lighting columns have also been installed as part of the work, adding improvements to the appearance and usability of Abbey Road. Together, the changes are intended to make active travel more practical for everyday journeys rather than simply providing a route for leisure cycling or walking.
Chris Boardman, who is the National Active Travel Commissioner for Active Travel England, attended the official launch after the scheme was completed. The former Olympic champion joined local councillors, representatives from Active Travel England, Brilliant Barrow and Team Barrow to see the route first-hand. His involvement highlighted the role of the project within the wider national push to provide better facilities for walking, wheeling and cycling.
Boardman said Abbey Road demonstrated how good-quality active travel infrastructure could contribute to wider regeneration. He highlighted the importance of giving residents practical options to walk, wheel or cycle to places they need to reach, while also pointing to the involvement of local people in shaping the scheme. The National Active Travel Commissioner said the investment could help more people make active travel part of their everyday journeys.
The Abbey Road route is also intended to strengthen connections between residential communities and major employment and education destinations across Barrow. These include BAE Systems, Furness General Hospital, the University of Cumbria campus, Furness College and the town centre. The council has also highlighted the benefits of improving access to green spaces and the coast, meaning the route has a role beyond individual journeys along Abbey Road itself.
The project builds on the recently completed North Walney Active Travel Route, extending the network of dedicated facilities available to people travelling around the town. Together, the schemes form part of the transport improvements being developed alongside the wider Team Barrow programme. The intention is to create better connections as Barrow experiences investment, new employment opportunities and changes in the number of people living, studying and working in the area.
Councillor Adrian Waite, Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet member for environmental services and transport, said the completion of the Abbey Road scheme was an important development for the town. He said the new facilities on Abbey Road and Walney would help make travelling around Barrow safer, more sustainable and more accessible. He also linked the investment to the council’s wider vision for the future of the town and its changing transport needs.
The council has pointed to the expected growth in employment connected with the shipyard, as well as the arrival of more university students and people attracted to Barrow to live, work and study. Those changes could increase pressure on existing transport networks, making alternative ways of travelling increasingly important. Providing dedicated infrastructure for walking, wheeling and cycling is therefore being positioned as one way of giving residents and workers greater choice over how they make everyday journeys.
BAE Systems has also welcomed the completed route, with representatives highlighting the potential benefits for employees travelling to and from work. Steve Cole, chief information officer and operational improvement director at BAE Systems, said the project could contribute to fresher air and a cleaner environment. Ian Burns, delivery director at BAE Systems Submarines, added that cycling was an important part of the company's strategy to encourage a shift in how colleagues travel to work.
The launch event included more than a formal unveiling of the completed infrastructure, with Boardman and other guests walking along Abbey Road to view the different features of the scheme. A community walk and bike ride also set off from Barrow Park, involving local cycling and walking groups, BAE Systems staff and children from Ramsden Infant School. The event therefore brought together residents, workers, young people and representatives from organisations involved in the project.
The construction work was completed by Cumbrian contractor Thomas Armstrong on behalf of Westmorland and Furness Council. Paul Osborne, the company’s civil engineering manager, said delivering the project within the local community had been particularly rewarding. He also highlighted the use of local workers and the supply chain during construction, saying this helped retain investment within the area while reducing the environmental impact associated with the project.
The Abbey Road scheme is now part of Barrow’s growing active travel network, linking into wider improvements already delivered across the town. Its completion provides residents with a dedicated route between Ramsden Square and Park Drive while supporting connections towards employment, education, healthcare and town-centre destinations. The project also sits alongside the broader Team Barrow programme, which aims to support major changes and investment across Barrow in the coming years.
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