Month-long public consultation to take place over design of controversial Corby cycle lane

North Northamptonshire Council have promised that local people will be able to voice their opinions over the details of a £12m cycle lane in Corby.

Since the Northants Telegraph first reported on the scheme back in May there has been increasing disquiet in the town over the amount of money being poured into the scheme.

Earlier this week, we told how local businessman Neil Campbell had walked the route of the scheme to see for himself where the money was being spent. Our video was watched more than 50,000 times on Facebook and our website, and there was overwhelming public support for Neil’s campaign.

The money to pay for the mile-long scheme is coming from two ring-fenced government pots – with £8.5m from the Corby Town Fund already promised, and £3.5m from the Levelling Up fund still at the bidding process stage. As such, the money cannot be spent on any other projects.

The decision to go ahead with the cycle lane was made behind-closed-doors by the Corby Town Deal Board which was made up of local councillors, the MP, organisational leaders and business representatives.

In a new statement, North Northants Council have said that although the money cannot be spent on anything else, they will begin a public engagement process starting next week.

A spokeswoman said: “The Town Centre to Train Station link is one of four projects within the Corby Town Fund which NNC was awarded £19.9m last year from Government to deliver.

“The funding secured can only be used on these projects – a new sixth form centre, a multi-use building, Corby town-station link and Smart and Connected Corby.

“The Corby town-station project is in the early stages and conception designs were drafted as part of the feasibility study. The final details of this project have not been finalised at this stage. A summary business case for the funding has been submitted to DLUHC and we await their decision.”

The council said this is the correct time to carry out ‘further engagement’ which will take place during the month of September.

It will start next Friday (September 2) and end on September 30.

Information boards will be on display at the Cube and there will be staffed events between 10am and 4pm on Monday, September 5, Tuesday, September 13, Wednesday, September 21, and Thursday, September 29. Full details about the engagement will made public in the coming weeks.

The spokeswoman added: “This engagement will help further shape the concept with initial designs on display, and we welcome comments from the public.

"This will be followed by further engagement and consultation at various stages of the project. Detailed design work will be developed once the funding has been secured and will enable more specific consultation on a fully tested scheme. We are very much at the start of a process where there will be regular involvement from the public.”