£600,000 Cycleway Upgrade Transforms Key Route Through Lowca

A major £600,000 improvement scheme has transformed a popular section of the National Cycle Network in Cumbria, delivering safer and more accessible journeys for pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists.

Funded by National Highways, the project has upgraded a key stretch of Route 72, better known as Hadrian’s Cycleway, which passes through the village of Lowca between Workington and Whitehaven.

The scheme included the construction of a new off-road path alongside Foundry Road and High Lowca, providing users with a safer alternative to sections of road that previously featured challenging junctions and interactions with traffic.

Two new crossing points have also been installed to improve access to the route and make it easier for people to travel safely through the area.

Further enhancements have been delivered within Lowca Park, where the existing path has been widened and restrictive barriers removed. The changes improve accessibility for wheelchair users, people with mobility aids and families using pushchairs. New wayfinding signage has also been introduced throughout the route.

National Highways said the investment aims to encourage more people to choose walking, wheeling or cycling for everyday journeys, helping to reduce traffic pressures on the nearby A595 while supporting healthier and more sustainable travel options.

Freda Rashdi, Head of Customer Journeys at National Highways, said the improvements provide local communities with greater choice for short-distance travel and form part of wider efforts to enhance the environment and quality of life for people living near the strategic road network.

The project has been delivered by Cumberland Council in partnership with Walk Wheel Cycle Trust as part of a broader programme to improve the National Cycle Network across the UK.

Carole Patrick, National Cycle Network Director at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, said the upgraded route offers a safer and more attractive alternative to travelling by car, while also enhancing the experience for long-distance cyclists using Hadrian’s Cycleway.

The route is a popular coast-to-coast cycling corridor connecting the Cumbrian coast with Tyneside and plays an important role in supporting tourism as well as everyday travel.

Cumberland Council's Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, Councillor Denise Rollo, welcomed the improvements and said the scheme would make it easier for people of all ages and abilities to access schools, workplaces and local services.

National Highways has invested more than £80 million in cycling, walking and wheeling projects across the country since 2020 through its Designated Funds programme, which supports initiatives that improve safety, accessibility, environmental outcomes and community wellbeing alongside the operation of England’s major roads.