Work on the next stage of the Abington Active Travel Scheme is due to begin on Monday 8 June, bringing new walking, wheeling and cycling improvements to Park Avenue South and Bridgewater Drive in Northampton.
West Northamptonshire Council says the phase 2 works are scheduled to finish in autumn 2026. The project will be built in stages, with temporary traffic management, road closures and diversions expected at points during construction.
Access to homes and businesses is due to be maintained while the work is carried out.
Streets and dates residents need to know
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Start date | Monday 8 June |
| Planned completion | Autumn 2026 |
| Main streets affected | Park Avenue South and Bridgewater Drive |
| Project phase | Phase 2 of the Abington Active Travel Scheme |
| Delivery partners | West Northamptonshire Council and Kier |
| Budget | £4.7 million |
The council says residents and businesses in the area will receive updates through letters, on-site signage and online project information as the works progress.
Construction will be phased to limit disruption where possible, but drivers should expect some changes to routes during the build. The source notice confirms that temporary traffic management, road closures and diversions will be needed at certain times.
New footways and segregated cycle lanes
The scheme is designed to improve everyday routes for people walking, cycling and using wheelchairs. Once complete, it will include new and improved footways and segregated cycle lanes along the project corridor.
The route is intended to strengthen connections between residential areas, schools, the town centre and local facilities. Better access to Abington Park is one of the named local benefits in the council’s announcement.
For families, commuters and visitors, the most visible change will be the creation of more clearly separated space for different types of travel. That matters on streets where school runs, local trips, park visits and through-traffic can all overlap during busy parts of the day.
Beehive readers following similar transport schemes may also want to compare the Northampton works with planned crossing and traffic changes in Manchester, where road safety and active travel improvements are also being phased in.
Access to Abington Park, schools and local facilities
The works are being framed around short local journeys rather than long-distance travel. The council says the improvements should make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle as part of everyday trips.
Park Avenue South and Bridgewater Drive sit within a part of Northampton where residential streets, school access and routes toward Abington Park all carry regular local movement. The scheme’s aim is to make those links safer and more accessible, especially for people who may not drive or who rely on clearer pavements and crossings.
The council also says the project is intended to support healthier travel choices, reduce congestion and lower carbon emissions. Those outcomes will depend on how the completed route is used once the construction phase has passed.
Phase 2 is separate from the phase 3 redesign
West Northamptonshire Council consulted on phase 2 in 2023. The authority says its implementation does not shape future active travel plans in the area.
The council has also stressed that phase 2 should not be confused with phase 3 of the Abington Active Travel Scheme. Phase 3 was consulted on earlier this year and is being redesigned following feedback received.
That distinction is likely to matter for residents tracking the wider programme. The current works are the confirmed phase 2 construction along Park Avenue South and Bridgewater Drive, with a planned completion window of autumn 2026.
£4.7 million funding package
The £4.7 million project is funded through the Active Travel Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and local transport grants.
The works are being led by West Northamptonshire Council and delivered in partnership with Kier. The council says it will continue to work with the community during construction and provide regular information as the programme moves through its staged build.
Cllr Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the next phase would make a positive difference to how people get around this part of Northampton by creating safer and more accessible routes for walking, wheeling and cycling.
Source: West Northamptonshire Council
Source check Source trail
This article is based on West Northamptonshire Council’s published notice about phase 2 of the Abington Active Travel Scheme.
- Matched the start date, planned completion window and named streets to the council notice.
- Separated phase 2 works from the separate phase 3 redesign mentioned by the council.
- Checked the stated funding figure and listed funding sources against the source item.
- Kept disruption and access details limited to confirmed traffic management, closures, dive...
- Source
- West Northamptonshire Council
- Scope
- Northampton
- Updated
- 2026-06-02 17:28
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