More improvements set for Warwickshire's longest greenway thanks to nearly £2.5m in funding

More improvements are set for Warwickshire's longest greenway thanks to nearly £2.5m in funding.

The popular Lias Line will be having another 3.5km improved for year-round active travel and leisure walking, cycling and wheeling, after Warwickshire County Council approved nearly £2.5m of grant funding secured from the Government’s Active Travel Fund.

Initially approved by cabinet at its meeting on July 13, the funding required the further approval of full council as it is in excess of £2million.

This approval was given on July 25.

The Lias Line is part of the disused railway line that connects Rugby to Leamington and Leamington to Daventry.

It is owned by Sustrans, a charity which promotes active travel opportunities and custodians of the National Cycle Network.

This route has already been the subject of one phase of development by Sustrans, with adaptations from just east of Fosse Way to Long Itchington completed in 2022.

The next scheme will extend the line to Rugby. The funding will pay for improvements to 3.5km of the line between Long Itchington Road near Hunningham Hill and Birdingbury Road between Marton and Birdingbury.

The adaptations to the route take place across the Rugby borough and the Warwick and Stratford districts. Planning permissions have been obtained from all three authorities.

Speaking about the Lias Line Improvement scheme, Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council portfolio holder for transport and planning, said: “As a council, we have ambitious plans to extend the reach and quality of our active travel networks so that walking and cycling can be the go-to travel choice, particularly for short journeys.

“This work will greatly enhance choices for active travel in the rural communities it passes.

"A further benefit will be seen by the businesses such as the pubs and cafes along the route can expect to see increased footfall. I’m delighted that work on the scheme can now continue.”

Sustrans is progressing design work and it is anticipated that construction works will start in the early part of 2024, but that a phased delivery approach may be followed to enable all necessary design requirements to be undertaken.