Crawley Northgate Avenue - Proposed Cycling & Walking Improvements

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Town Centre - Manor Royal Business Park via Northgate Avenue


Cycling and Walking Improvements:

West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council are working together to deliver improvements that will benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike. By encouraging more walking, wheeling and cycling, we can help to reduce congestion on the region’s already busy road network. It will also help to improve air quality and create safer, more pleasant places in which to live, work and do business.

Underpinning our approach to improving the transport network within the county is the West Sussex Transport Plan 2022-2036 (opens in new window) The document sets out how the county is intending to address a number of challenges, including climate change, congestion and road safety. To address these issues, the Council is looking to implement a series of transport improvement schemes across the county, including the proposed cycling and walking improvements in Crawley – the purpose of this webpage.

The proposals for this scheme seek to improve facilities for those walking, wheeling or cycling along Northgate Avenue, providing a segregated cycle track, where feasible, between Crawley Town Centre and Manor Royal and improved crossing facilities.

The consultation is open from Wednesday 24th June 2026 until 11.55pm on Wednesday 05 August 2026. Your feedback will help shape further development of the designs and inform our decision on how to take the proposals forward.

You can find out more about the proposals below and complete the survey.



About the proposals:

In 2022 we undertook a public engagement exercise to gather feedback about concept proposals to improve walking, wheeling and between the town centre and Manor Royal. We have used the feedback to develop the scheme and are now seeking your view on our preliminary design proposals.

Our previous engagement sought feedback on two elements, the ‘Northern Section: Manor Royal Link’ and a ‘Southern Section: Northgate Avenue’. This engagement focuses on developed design for the ‘Southern Section’ only.

It is important to note that, although we are consulting on one element, the ‘Northern Section’, if further developed, would compliment what is proposed as part of this scheme if funding comes forward for this section.

The proposals for this scheme seek to improve facilities for those walking, wheeling or cycling along Northgate Avenue, providing a segregated cycle track, where feasible, between Crawley Town Centre and Manor Royal and improved crossing facilities.


Southern Section: Northgate Avenue

The southern part of the scheme aims to transform Northgate Avenue, one of the key routes into the town centre, by providing dedicated facilities for cyclists. By segregating cyclists from pedestrians and general traffic, this would improve safety of all road users and facilitate smoother and more attractive journeys on foot or by bike.

If delivered, the proposed cycling improvements on Northgate Avenue will connect with the Eastern Gateway Scheme, completed in 2022, helping to create an integrated network of active travel infrastructure across the town. By linking the proposals, the schemes will deliver a direct route into the town centre and key sites including the Town Hall, County Buildings and Crawley College.

The proposed improvements would make it safer and easier to travel in the local area by walking, wheeling and cycling:

  • A new segregated, two-way cycle track on Northgate Avenue, from Crawley town centre to Manor Royal Business Park, by removing some of the existing grass verge. The cycle lanes are in accordance with Local Transport Note 1/20 guidance (opens in new window), and will help provide a safer environment for cyclists away from general traffic and pedestrians.
  • Upgrade existing uncontrolled crossings to create two new Toucan crossings, in proximity to Hermits Road and Gales Drive, on Northgate Avenue
  • A new uncontrolled crossing on Northgate Avenue (near the existing pedestrian access between Early Commons and the footway on the southeast side of Northgate Avenue) to formalise an existing pedestrian desire route
  • A new parallel crossing across Woodfield Road to connect the existing shared-use path to the underpass to access Manor Royal Business Park
  • Raised tables across side roads to facilitate safer pedestrian and cycle crossings
  • New 30mph speed limit along Northgate Avenue, to improve safety and driving conditions. Reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph supports the proposed design and helps create a safer, more predictable environment for drivers by reducing collision risk and severity and encourages smoother traffic flow for all road users.

Please refer to the consultation plans section on the right of this page for a detailed overview of the proposals:

Please refer to the Scheme Mapping for a consultation friendly image or for a detailed overview of the proposals the Technical drawings both are from the documents links on the right-hand side of the page.

The proposals have been designed in accordance with national design guidance for cycling, including the Local Transport Note 1/20 (opens in new window), which provides advice on delivering high quality cycle infrastructure. The impact of the scheme on all road users has been considered, to ensure that the needs of everyone are met, whilst facilitating safer and easier journeys for cyclists and pedestrians.


The images below show what the improvements could look like.


Visulisation of toucan crossing

Visualisation of proposed Toucan crossing Northgate Avenue

visulisation of Parallel crossing

Visualisation of proposed Parallel crossing Woodfield Road


Strategic context

As the largest town in West Sussex, Crawley provides a range of attractions including Tilgate Park and the K2 Leisure Centre. The town is also an important centre of economic activity, home to the major Manor Royal Business District and nearby Gatwick Airport.

Crawley has been identified as a priority area for investment, with ambitious growth plans for the town over the coming years. Despite this, the town faces several transport-related challenges, which will only worsen as the town grows. Crawley’s existing walking and cycling facilities need improvement: much of the network is disconnected, poorly surfaced and lacks safe crossing points. Northgate Avenue provides a key route between Crawley town centre, Manor Royal Business Park and Gatwick Airport; yet cycling and walking facilities along the route are poor. This causes safety concerns and can create a barrier for people wishing to walk or cycle. Research has suggested that there is potential to encourage nearly 5,000 Gatwick Airport employees to cycle to work; with over half of staff living in Crawley.

To address these challenges, and to support the planned development across the town, West Sussex County Council are proposing a series of cycling and walking improvements in Crawley. The overarching objectives of the scheme are to:

  • Provide safe, attractive and connected routes for cyclists and pedestrians;
  • Provide a gateway into Crawley town centre for active mode users and improve access into the town;
  • Enhance sustainable access to Manor Royal Business District;
  • Contribute towards the delivery of a coherent and connected cycle network across the town, connecting with existing cycle infrastructure;
  • Complement wider initiatives and investment programmes across the town; and
  • Improve air quality by reducing vehicle trips and encouraging more people to travel by bike.

The proposed scheme is an integral part of the Crawley Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)(opens in new window), which was adopted by Crawley Borough Council in 2021.

The LCWIP details the borough’s proposed approach to delivering a high-quality network of safe, practical and attractive walking routes for Crawley residents and visitors. One of the routes identified within the Crawley LCWIP was Route A: Gatwick Airport to town centre via Manor Royal and Northgate.

The potential for investment along this route was also recognised through the Crawley Growth Programme; a £60m package of investment that will “unlock” jobs and growth across the town. The proposed cycle scheme forms an integral part of the LCWIP Route A.



Funding the Improvements

We have been awarded funding from the Department for Transport’s Capability Fund to develop detailed design proposals for this scheme.

We will use the feedback provided throughout the consultation to inform more detailed the next steps for the project.

Progress to the construction phase would be subject to the outcome of this consultation and additional funding being identified.



Have your say!

Between Wednesday 24 June 2026 and Wednesday 05 August 2026, we want to hear your views on the proposed cycling and walking improvements for Crawley. Your feedback is important to us and will help shape the designs moving forward.

Please take this opportunity to let us know what you think by completing our survey, which can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.

We will use your feedback from the survey, along with other information about the proposals, to refine our detailed designs.

Drop-in Event

We will also be holding a drop-in engagement event to give you the opportunity to speak and ask questions to a member of the project team.

The event will take place on Thursday 02 July 2026, 4pm – 7pm at Northgate Community Centre, Main Hall - Barnfield Rd, Northgate, Crawley RH10 8DS



Accessibility and alternative formats

If you require any of this information in an alternative format, then please contact us via email at activetravel@westsussex.gov.uk or by telephone on 01243 642105 and we will do our best to assist you. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have a BT Relay (UK) app (previously called the NGT texting app) installed on your computer, laptop or smartphone, you can contact us on 18001 01243 642105

Please note, you can use the Google Translate function to access this project in a range of different languages. The Google Translate widget can be found at the top left-hand side of the project page, where it sits just above the black West Sussex County Council ribbon.

For more information about the accessibility of this website, please see our Accessibility tab (opens in new window) at the foot of the page.

Survey web browser compatibility

Please use one of the browsers below when completing the survey to ensure it looks and works as it should. These are:

· Microsoft Edge version 86 and above

· Chrome version 86 and above

· Firefox version 78 and above

· Safari version 14 and above

Privacy Statement

West Sussex County Council will collect some personal data (e.g. age, sex) in order to comply with a statutory duty. We will process this data in accordance with the 2018 Data Protection Act, General Data Protection Regulations and any subsequent relevant legislation. West Sussex County Council is registered as a Data Controller (Reg. No. Z6413427). The data you provide will not be used for any purpose other than that stated and will be stored electronically for a period of up to 5 years before being appropriately destroyed. For further information about our Data Controller, please see West Sussex County Council's Privacy Policy (opens in new window).

The data will be collected, processed and analysed by our consultants, WSP, on behalf of West Sussex County Council for the purpose of this consultation only. For further information about WSP’s data protection policy please see WSP's Privacy Policy (opens in new window).

Town Centre - Manor Royal Business Park via Northgate Avenue


Cycling and Walking Improvements:

West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council are working together to deliver improvements that will benefit residents, businesses and visitors alike. By encouraging more walking, wheeling and cycling, we can help to reduce congestion on the region’s already busy road network. It will also help to improve air quality and create safer, more pleasant places in which to live, work and do business.

Underpinning our approach to improving the transport network within the county is the West Sussex Transport Plan 2022-2036 (opens in new window) The document sets out how the county is intending to address a number of challenges, including climate change, congestion and road safety. To address these issues, the Council is looking to implement a series of transport improvement schemes across the county, including the proposed cycling and walking improvements in Crawley – the purpose of this webpage.

The proposals for this scheme seek to improve facilities for those walking, wheeling or cycling along Northgate Avenue, providing a segregated cycle track, where feasible, between Crawley Town Centre and Manor Royal and improved crossing facilities.

The consultation is open from Wednesday 24th June 2026 until 11.55pm on Wednesday 05 August 2026. Your feedback will help shape further development of the designs and inform our decision on how to take the proposals forward.

You can find out more about the proposals below and complete the survey.



About the proposals:

In 2022 we undertook a public engagement exercise to gather feedback about concept proposals to improve walking, wheeling and between the town centre and Manor Royal. We have used the feedback to develop the scheme and are now seeking your view on our preliminary design proposals.

Our previous engagement sought feedback on two elements, the ‘Northern Section: Manor Royal Link’ and a ‘Southern Section: Northgate Avenue’. This engagement focuses on developed design for the ‘Southern Section’ only.

It is important to note that, although we are consulting on one element, the ‘Northern Section’, if further developed, would compliment what is proposed as part of this scheme if funding comes forward for this section.

The proposals for this scheme seek to improve facilities for those walking, wheeling or cycling along Northgate Avenue, providing a segregated cycle track, where feasible, between Crawley Town Centre and Manor Royal and improved crossing facilities.


Southern Section: Northgate Avenue

The southern part of the scheme aims to transform Northgate Avenue, one of the key routes into the town centre, by providing dedicated facilities for cyclists. By segregating cyclists from pedestrians and general traffic, this would improve safety of all road users and facilitate smoother and more attractive journeys on foot or by bike.

If delivered, the proposed cycling improvements on Northgate Avenue will connect with the Eastern Gateway Scheme, completed in 2022, helping to create an integrated network of active travel infrastructure across the town. By linking the proposals, the schemes will deliver a direct route into the town centre and key sites including the Town Hall, County Buildings and Crawley College.

The proposed improvements would make it safer and easier to travel in the local area by walking, wheeling and cycling:

  • A new segregated, two-way cycle track on Northgate Avenue, from Crawley town centre to Manor Royal Business Park, by removing some of the existing grass verge. The cycle lanes are in accordance with Local Transport Note 1/20 guidance (opens in new window), and will help provide a safer environment for cyclists away from general traffic and pedestrians.
  • Upgrade existing uncontrolled crossings to create two new Toucan crossings, in proximity to Hermits Road and Gales Drive, on Northgate Avenue
  • A new uncontrolled crossing on Northgate Avenue (near the existing pedestrian access between Early Commons and the footway on the southeast side of Northgate Avenue) to formalise an existing pedestrian desire route
  • A new parallel crossing across Woodfield Road to connect the existing shared-use path to the underpass to access Manor Royal Business Park
  • Raised tables across side roads to facilitate safer pedestrian and cycle crossings
  • New 30mph speed limit along Northgate Avenue, to improve safety and driving conditions. Reducing the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph supports the proposed design and helps create a safer, more predictable environment for drivers by reducing collision risk and severity and encourages smoother traffic flow for all road users.

Please refer to the consultation plans section on the right of this page for a detailed overview of the proposals:

Please refer to the Scheme Mapping for a consultation friendly image or for a detailed overview of the proposals the Technical drawings both are from the documents links on the right-hand side of the page.

The proposals have been designed in accordance with national design guidance for cycling, including the Local Transport Note 1/20 (opens in new window), which provides advice on delivering high quality cycle infrastructure. The impact of the scheme on all road users has been considered, to ensure that the needs of everyone are met, whilst facilitating safer and easier journeys for cyclists and pedestrians.


The images below show what the improvements could look like.


Visulisation of toucan crossing

Visualisation of proposed Toucan crossing Northgate Avenue

visulisation of Parallel crossing

Visualisation of proposed Parallel crossing Woodfield Road


Strategic context

As the largest town in West Sussex, Crawley provides a range of attractions including Tilgate Park and the K2 Leisure Centre. The town is also an important centre of economic activity, home to the major Manor Royal Business District and nearby Gatwick Airport.

Crawley has been identified as a priority area for investment, with ambitious growth plans for the town over the coming years. Despite this, the town faces several transport-related challenges, which will only worsen as the town grows. Crawley’s existing walking and cycling facilities need improvement: much of the network is disconnected, poorly surfaced and lacks safe crossing points. Northgate Avenue provides a key route between Crawley town centre, Manor Royal Business Park and Gatwick Airport; yet cycling and walking facilities along the route are poor. This causes safety concerns and can create a barrier for people wishing to walk or cycle. Research has suggested that there is potential to encourage nearly 5,000 Gatwick Airport employees to cycle to work; with over half of staff living in Crawley.

To address these challenges, and to support the planned development across the town, West Sussex County Council are proposing a series of cycling and walking improvements in Crawley. The overarching objectives of the scheme are to:

  • Provide safe, attractive and connected routes for cyclists and pedestrians;
  • Provide a gateway into Crawley town centre for active mode users and improve access into the town;
  • Enhance sustainable access to Manor Royal Business District;
  • Contribute towards the delivery of a coherent and connected cycle network across the town, connecting with existing cycle infrastructure;
  • Complement wider initiatives and investment programmes across the town; and
  • Improve air quality by reducing vehicle trips and encouraging more people to travel by bike.

The proposed scheme is an integral part of the Crawley Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)(opens in new window), which was adopted by Crawley Borough Council in 2021.

The LCWIP details the borough’s proposed approach to delivering a high-quality network of safe, practical and attractive walking routes for Crawley residents and visitors. One of the routes identified within the Crawley LCWIP was Route A: Gatwick Airport to town centre via Manor Royal and Northgate.

The potential for investment along this route was also recognised through the Crawley Growth Programme; a £60m package of investment that will “unlock” jobs and growth across the town. The proposed cycle scheme forms an integral part of the LCWIP Route A.



Funding the Improvements

We have been awarded funding from the Department for Transport’s Capability Fund to develop detailed design proposals for this scheme.

We will use the feedback provided throughout the consultation to inform more detailed the next steps for the project.

Progress to the construction phase would be subject to the outcome of this consultation and additional funding being identified.



Have your say!

Between Wednesday 24 June 2026 and Wednesday 05 August 2026, we want to hear your views on the proposed cycling and walking improvements for Crawley. Your feedback is important to us and will help shape the designs moving forward.

Please take this opportunity to let us know what you think by completing our survey, which can be accessed via the link at the bottom of this page.

We will use your feedback from the survey, along with other information about the proposals, to refine our detailed designs.

Drop-in Event

We will also be holding a drop-in engagement event to give you the opportunity to speak and ask questions to a member of the project team.

The event will take place on Thursday 02 July 2026, 4pm – 7pm at Northgate Community Centre, Main Hall - Barnfield Rd, Northgate, Crawley RH10 8DS



Accessibility and alternative formats

If you require any of this information in an alternative format, then please contact us via email at activetravel@westsussex.gov.uk or by telephone on 01243 642105 and we will do our best to assist you. If you are deaf or hard of hearing and have a BT Relay (UK) app (previously called the NGT texting app) installed on your computer, laptop or smartphone, you can contact us on 18001 01243 642105

Please note, you can use the Google Translate function to access this project in a range of different languages. The Google Translate widget can be found at the top left-hand side of the project page, where it sits just above the black West Sussex County Council ribbon.

For more information about the accessibility of this website, please see our Accessibility tab (opens in new window) at the foot of the page.

Survey web browser compatibility

Please use one of the browsers below when completing the survey to ensure it looks and works as it should. These are:

· Microsoft Edge version 86 and above

· Chrome version 86 and above

· Firefox version 78 and above

· Safari version 14 and above

Privacy Statement

West Sussex County Council will collect some personal data (e.g. age, sex) in order to comply with a statutory duty. We will process this data in accordance with the 2018 Data Protection Act, General Data Protection Regulations and any subsequent relevant legislation. West Sussex County Council is registered as a Data Controller (Reg. No. Z6413427). The data you provide will not be used for any purpose other than that stated and will be stored electronically for a period of up to 5 years before being appropriately destroyed. For further information about our Data Controller, please see West Sussex County Council's Privacy Policy (opens in new window).

The data will be collected, processed and analysed by our consultants, WSP, on behalf of West Sussex County Council for the purpose of this consultation only. For further information about WSP’s data protection policy please see WSP's Privacy Policy (opens in new window).

  • Crawley Proposed Cycling and Walking Improvements: Feedback Questionnaire

    We’re working to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling improvements in Crawley and would like to understand your views on our proposals for Northgate Avenue.

    Following our previous engagement held in 2022, we have been awarded funding from Active Travel England (ATE) to develop Detailed Design proposals for investment in improved facilities for those walking, wheeling or cycling along Northgate Avenue in Crawley.

    The proposals would help to facilitate safer, more convenient and attractive journeys along the route, providing a gateway into the town centre for people walking, wheeling or travelling by bicycle.

    Our previous engagement proposals sought to introduce segregated uni-directional cycle tracks on either side of Northgate Avenue. Following a review of the feedback from this engagement, we are proposing to:

    Provide a segregated bi-directional cycle track (where feasible) on one side of Northgate Avenue by removing some of the existing grass verge. The cycle tracks are in accordance with Local Transport Note 1/20 (LTN 1/20) guidance, and will help provide a safer environment for cyclists away from general traffic and those walking or wheeling;

    Reduce the speed limit on Northgate Avenue from 40mph to 30mph, as this is essential for the proposed design; and

    Upgrade crossing facilities in certain locations, including crossings for those walking, wheeling or travelling by bicycle.

    As well as helping to improve the health, wellbeing and safety of West Sussex residents, it is hoped that improving facilities for those walking, wheeling, cycling or travelling by bus will support the local economy, reduce congestion and tackle the Climate Emergency.

    Complete Form
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Page last updated: 24 Jun 2026, 03:31 PM