Decision ref
0035 2025/26
Decision date
28/08/2025
Portfolio
Business and Inclusive Growth
Wards
Moss Bank, Town Centre, Windle
Title
To approve and authorise signature of the ATF5 Grant Funding Agreement for £310,000 from the LCRCA
Summary
To accept an Active Travel Fund 5 (ATF5) grant funding allocation of £310,000 from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) for delivery of the By Ours Cowley Hill ‘Liveable Neighbourhood Phase 2’ at a cost of £280,000 and the ‘Active Travel Gateways to Green Spaces’ project at a cost of £30,000. All funding must be committed by March 2026, with expenditure no later than 31 March 2027 in line with the attached grant funding award letter terms and conditions.
Purpose
To seek approval to formally accept an Active Travel Fund Tranche 5 (ATF5) grant funding award of £310,000 from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) for expenditure on the following two committed schemes at the stated amounts: £280,000 for By Ours Cowley Hill ‘Liveable Neighbourhood Phase 2’, and £30,000 for an ‘Active Travel Gateways to Green Spaces’ project. Both schemes are compliant with Local Transport Note 1/20 (LTN 1/20) guidance on designing high-quality cycling and walking infrastructure, a key condition of funding awards. Project expenditure must align with the attached ATF5 Grant Funding letter from the LCRCA. The awarded grant funding must be committed by 31 March 2026, with expenditure occurred by 31 March 2027.
Background
Active Travel England (ATE) is a government executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Transport (DfT) to prioritise walking, wheeling, and cycling. ATE receives funding allocations from Central Government with the majority of that funding subsequently allocated as an Active Travel Fund to Local Authorities (via their respective Mayoral or non-Mayoral Combined Authorities where these are in place). The amount of funding allocated to areas is based on a capability assessment that includes delivery of funding received to date.
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) has been awarded £1,854,047 through the Active Travel Fund Round 5, allocated by Central Government. This comprises £1,642,686 in capital funding and £211,361 in revenue funding. The funding allocation was informed by the 2024 Active Travel Capability Ratings, published by Active Travel England, in which the Liverpool City Region was assessed at Level 2.
Council has been allocated £310,000 ATF5 from the LCRCA. This includes £280,000 for the By Ours Cowley Hill ‘Liveable Neighbourhood Phase 2’ scheme that will focus on making junctions smaller and more appropriate for the area, installing controlled crossings, and reducing traffic speeds, thus removing barriers to enabling active travel, with delivery by the Highways Service. £30,000 has been allocated for an ‘Active Travel Gateways to Green Spaces’ scheme that focuses on an audit and prioritisation of works to improve access to our traffic free transport corridors and parks, and will be managed by the GDP Transport Planning Team with delivery by Environmental Services. This collaboration will ensure works will be documented to ensure that the benefits of maintenance and ease of access are promoted.
The schemes identified within the first package form part of the By Ours Cowley Hill Liveable Neighbourhood Programme. This is a community project led by Council in partnership with Sustrans and the LCRCA.
Over the course of 2022 and 2023 engagement with the Cowley Hill neighbourhood was undertaken, identifying challenges and what the community would like to see in the streets and spaces to help establish a Liveable Neighbourhood. As part of an earlier ATF3 initiative, the Cowley Hill area of St Helens underwent significant improvement in accessibility, focused on the priorities of the community. Council delivered traffic calming measures, accessibility enhancements, a new traffic-free path, and a pocket park, all with the goal of enabling walking, cycling, and wheeling for everyday journeys.
Nonetheless, some barriers remain. Whether travelling to school, work, or the local shop, a route is only as good as its weakest point, which in many situations in and around Cowley Hill is the most difficult crossing. By making junctions smaller and more appropriate for the area, adding controlled crossings, and reducing traffic speed, this project will remove barriers to active travel and build on the success of earlier delivered schemes. In line with our adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), the aim for Cowley Hill is to create a vibrant neighbourhood where more people cycle or walk to shops and services, where social interaction is encouraged, supporting the community to stop and chat to each other, and where children can play outdoors safely.
Conclusion
This DED builds on previous approvals to accept earlier rounds of Active Travel Funding and seeks approval to formally accept an Active Travel Fund Tranche 5 (ATF5) grant funding award of £310,000 from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) for expenditure on the following two committed schemes at the stated amounts: £280,000 for Cowley Hill ‘Liveable Neighbourhood Phase 2’, and £30,000 for an ‘Active Travel Gateways to Green Spaces’ project. Both schemes are compliant with Local Transport Note 1/20 (LTN 1/20) guidance on designing high-quality cycling and walking infrastructure, a key condition of funding awards. Project expenditure must align with the attached ATF5 Grant Funding letter from the LCRCA. The awarded grant funding must be committed by 31 March 2026, with expenditure occurred by 31 March 2027.
Risk Implications
Failure to commit the funding by 31 March 2026 then deliver by 31 March 2027 could impact on accessing future Active Travel Fund and/or equivalent funding.
Measures to Redress Risk
Schemes have evolved from strong community engagement within the Cowley Hill Liveable Neighbourhood Programme with detailed design to be carried out in the next few months.
Declarations Of Interest
None
Equality Impact Assessment
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More information
Please contact David Saville on 01744 676148
