The parish includes a network of country roads with the A605 as a major through route. The Warmington Neighbourhood Plan cannot make policies about Highway matters but can include policies and aspirations which address the consequences of road traffic and also encourage sustainable modes of transport.
Summary of the existing situation
The A605 is the major road link through the parish and impacts on the village in a number of ways, it provides a very useful commuter link, but also forms a natural boundary to expansion of the village and restricts crossing foot and cycle traffic. There is an entrance to the existing gravel works which will be brought back into use when the new works are opened. The ‘Elton Turn’ just beyond the Parish boundary has a poor accident record which impacts on the Village as a diversion route and as a disruption to local traffic and commuters.
Cycleways, footpaths and the River Nene provide sustainable transport links that can be a means of encouraging visitors to Warmington. A proposed Greenway spanning the whole county from south to north will pass through Warmington, and the Nene Way long distance footpath and the River Nene are long standing links. These all intersect by the water meadows and mill and provide opportunities for bringing visitors into the village through the Eaglethorpe underpass. The Warmington Neighbourhood Plan could promote the development, maintenance and use of these links by seeking planning obligations (S106) to support them and extending links into the village centre.
Taylors Green is used extensively by walkers with children and dogs because it forms a simple, useful, pleasant and readily available pathway around the south of the village in open countryside. It has protected wildflower verges and very low traffic flows and so would benefit by being designated as a Quiet Lane. This legislation is intended to make selected country lanes more attractive for walking, cycling and horse riding in the interests of a more tranquil and attractive rural environment, maintaining the character of minor rural roads by seeking to contain rising traffic growth which is occurring on the whole of the highway network. Designation is outside the scope of the Warmington Neighbourhood Plan, but the process could be aided by promoting this as an aspiration within the plan.
Maintenance of roads is a Highways matter but the maintenance of verges, walls, footpaths, bridlepaths and cycleways is the responsibility of a wide variety of agencies and individuals often with little coordination. The Warmington Neighbourhood Plan could include aspirations to bring some of these under the control of the Parish Council and away from more distant authorities.
Issues raised at open event
- Promote roundabout at Elton turn
- Provide foot/cycle crossing to A605
- More cycling routes
- Closer control of speed limits within village
- Deter parking on pavements
- Better road maintenance
- Keep/improve bus service
- Make Taylors Green a ‘quiet lane’