New city bike lanes and routes planned
NEW cycle lanes could be built in Derby with plans also in place to extend a number of existing routes across the city.
Derby City Council opened a 12-week consultation on Monday, taking in a range of proposals to improve the cycle path network in the city centre and its surrounding suburbs.
The various schemes are being funded through grants awarded to the city council from the Department for Transport’s transforming cities fund (TCF) and active travel fund (ATF).
There are four major TCF proposals in Nottingham Road, in Chaddesden, The Morledge and Traffic Street, and Railway Terrace, in the city centre, and on the national cycle network route 54/68, in Mickleover.
In Nottingham Road, the main proposal is for the introduction of a two-way off-road cycle lane next to the stretch of road between Pentagon Island and Acorn Way.
There would be major improvements to the area between Derby bus station and Traffic Street for pedestrians and cyclists leading up to Castleward Boulevard. Plans include an off-road cycle lane and changes to crossings improving journeys from the city centre out towards the railway station and Pride Park.
The bus station would also see changes made to traffic flow for buses exiting the station.
At Railway Terrace, plans include alterations between Midland Road and Siddals Road, including Calvert Street, to improve links with Castleward Boulevard and connectivity with the national cycle network.
Changes would also be made to junctions, including bus priority measures. Finally, in Mickleover, improvements are planned on the national cycle network route 54/68 path between Greenwich Drive South and Onslow Road.
The ATF proposals include new facilities and improvements to existing cycle lanes on Ashbourne Road, Sinfin Lane, Duffield Road, Friar Gate and Burton Road.
On Ashbourne Road, between the A38 Markeaton Island roundabout and Prince Charles Avenue, there is a plan to create a three-mile cycle path to connect into the Mackworth shopping precinct. A further phase of this plan would see the path extended to Radbourne Lane.
At Sinfin Lane, an extension is proposed to the existing cycle facilities that run from Foresters Way to Redwood Road to provide better links between the housing area to the south and major employment sites such as Rolls-Royce, Sainsbury’s, B&Q and potential development sites around Foresters Park.
Measures proposed on Duffield
Road would see an upgrade to the existing advisory cycle lanes to introduce light segregation in the form of lane dividers.
On Friar Gate, the proposal is to improve the outbound cycle lane by widening, adding light segregation and making the existing advisory lane mandatory, up to Larges Street where the width of the off-carriageway facility improves.
Finally, on Burton Road, a combination of cycle facilities would be created between Abbey Street junction and the inner ring road.
For full details of all the proposals, you can visit Derby City Council’s consultations website.
Councillor Steve Hassall, the city council’s cabinet member for regeneration, decarbonisation and strategic planning and transport said: “Over the last year, nationally, cycling has risen by 46%.
“In 2020, we saw the highest level of cycling on the highway since the 1960s, and the greatest year-on-year increase in post-war history.
“Post pandemic there has never been a better time to look to improve facilities that promote active travel.
“We think the schemes shown here will make a real difference by either introducing new facilities or improving existing ones in line with new government guidance.”