Sheffield City Council is launching a new project that will focus on encouraging active travel and supporting a shift towards sustainable transport in and around the city.
The Connecting Sheffield scheme follows a successful bid made by Sheffield City Region, supported by Sheffield City Council, for funding from the UK Department for Transport’s (DfT) Transforming Cities Fund.
Sheffield will receive £50m to improve public transport, walking and cycling links, with future funding to support further schemes brought forward in subsequent phases.
The first phase of the project will focus on key areas that have been identified as locations where people are making short car journeys from home to work in the city centre and Lower Don Valley, including Neepsend, Kelham and Nether Edge.
According to Sheffield City Council, the proposed schemes will enable these to be made more safely by cycling, especially for shorter trips, and more quickly and reliably by bus.
All of the proposed schemes will be subject to public consultation, and the feedback received will help to inform the development of the routes identified. Under the current terms of the funding from the DfT, all work must be completed by March 2023.
Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and development at Sheffield City Council, said: “Connecting Sheffield is a major first step in overhauling our transport network to put walking, cycling and public transport at the forefront of travel choices available in our city.
“We know that for lots of people, travelling by car is sometimes the only feasible way of getting from A to B, but we want to make sure that walking, cycling and public transport are realistic options, especially for getting to work and for shorter journeys.”
