Connecting the Active Quarter

In 2023, West Northamptonshire Council secured £642k capital and £30k revenue from the Department for Transport Active Travel Fund 4 to deliver the Connecting the Active Quarter – Access for All scheme in Delapré Abbey. The scheme is due to open in June 2024.
The objectives of this fund are to:
• Create a local authority capital investment programme that optimises delivery of 2025 and 2030 objectives, as set out in the statutory Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS 2):
o 50% of short urban trips in England to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030
o Increase active travel from 41% in 2018 to 46% of short urban trips by 2025
o Increase walking to 365 stages per person per year by 2025
o Increase cycling from 0.8 billion stages in 2013 to 1.6 billion stages in 2025
o 55% of primary school-aged children to walk to school by 2025
• Align investment with Gear Change and wider Government objectives, including local growth and productivity, tackling public health issues, decarbonisation, levelling up and cost of living challenges.
• Increase participation in active travel amongst underrepresented groups.

There is a requirement as part of the funding to undertake baseline and post-scheme opening surveys.

WNC in partnership with Delapré Abbey Preservation Trust secured funding to conduct a feasibility study for the establishment of a cycling and walking social prescription programme in the grounds of Delapré Abbey. The feasibility study was used to design and develop the social prescription pilot which included a Cycling and Walking Hub, cycle hire, volunteering and skills development and infrastructure upgrades.

As part of the feasibility study, baseline surveys were undertaken to determine current route use through Delapré Park and underpinning motivations, as well as to capture public suggestions about the proposed delivery of the Cycling and Walking Social Prescription Programme and the Cycling and Walking Hub at Delapré Abbey.

Whilst WNC were not successful in securing funding for the Social Prescription Pilot, capital funding was secured for creating traffic free routes suitable for all year-round use, providing a connection from the town centre and Far Cotton to employment opportunities at Brackmills.

The University of Northampton have received funding to evaluate the new paths in Delapre Park, Northampton on behalf of West Northamptonshire Council. Further details are provided here: https://activequarter-nn.co.uk/research-update/evaluation-of-new-paths-in-delapre-park/