Footfall monitoring results highlight Griffin Trail’s success and future potential
Walking and cycling03 September 2025
Recent footfall monitoring has confirmed the success of the Griffin Trail, an active travel route connecting Braybrooke to Market Harborough and forming a vital link in the wider North Northamptonshire Greenway. Devices installed on the trail’s footbridge near Braybrooke recorded over 5,000 crossings in just four weeks, providing clear evidence of its popularity and value to the community.
To understand how the trail is being used, North Northamptonshire Council’s Greenway team partnered with the University of Northampton to monitor footfall across the trail’s footbridge near Braybrooke over a four-week period in summer 2025. The results show:
- 5,133 total crossings
- 78 average weekday crossings
- 550 average weekend crossings
These figures provide strong evidence of the trail’s popularity and its role in encouraging active travel, outdoor recreation and rural connectivity.
The initiative has since gained national recognition, named one of the UK’s Best Community Projects in the newly launched Active Travel Directory, announced at the Active Travel England Conference in York.
The Griffin Trail was developed in response to the Braybrooke Neighbourhood Plan and officially opened in February 2025, following strong community support for safer pedestrian and cycling routes to Market Harborough. That feedback directly shaped the creation of the trail.
The Griffin Trail was delivered in partnership with several stakeholders, including North Northamptonshire Council, Braybrooke Parish Council, and Braybrooke Beer Co., and was made possible through a mix of grants and local contributions, such as:
- North Northamptonshire Council’s Shared Prosperity Fund
- Northamptonshire Community Foundation
- National Lottery Awards for All
- Maud Elkington Trust
- Braybrooke Beer Co.
- Donations from local businesses
The Griffin Trail has transformed a previously difficult and disconnected journey into an accessible, safe, all-weather route for walkers, wheelers (including wheelchair and pushchair users), and cyclists. The trail extends the local footpath network from 1.56km to 2.3km, offering a scenic and secure route along the Brampton Valley Way and improving access to local destinations including the Braybrooke Beer Co Taproom.
Plans are being developed to improve the surface of the footbridge to further enhance the trail for people who use it. The footfall monitoring results will be useful in demonstrating the value of the trail during ongoing conversations with local landowners about extending access and completing the final section of the route, including a potential connection to Waterloo Farm’s tearoom.
The Griffin Trail is a fantastic example of how the North Northamptonshire Greenway is coming to life. This new data shows just how well-used and valued the trail already is, and it strengthens our case for completing the route and improving access even further.Cllr Gregory Wilcox, Executive Member for Communities.
The Greenway is a long-term ambition, and projects like this demonstrate the real benefits, connecting communities, supporting rural businesses, and promoting healthier, more active lifestyles. It’s a great example of what can be achieved when councils, landowners and local champions work together.
The Griffin Trail is a shining example of how local vision, community support and strategic investment can come together to deliver real, lasting benefits. These footfall figures clearly show that the trail is already making a difference - encouraging active travel, connecting people and places, and supporting our rural economy. It’s a strong foundation for the next phase of the North Northamptonshire Greenway, and we’re excited to keep building on this success.Cllr Martin Griffiths, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council.
The North Northamptonshire Greenway is a strategic rural network of safer, largely traffic-free routes suitable for walkers, wheelers, cyclists and equestrian users where appropriate. It aims to connect settlements, employment, leisure and tourism destinations across North Northamptonshire and beyond. Routes will be delivered over the next 10 to 30 years, working closely with communities and landowners.