Nottinghamshire to get £2.1 million in active travel funding

The money known as the active travel fund, was made available by the Government earlier this year, partly in a bid to alleviate pressure on public transport caused by COVID.

Now, the Government has confirmed Nottinghamshire County Council will receive more than £2 million for projects in the second wave of the funding.

These schemes are still at an early stage, and detailed designs will still need to be drawn up and approved by the council.

It remains possible some schemes may prove undeliverable once they reach the detailed planning and consultation phases.

The shortlist currently includes improvements on Chesterfield Road in Mansfield, specifically to the existing on-road cycle lane from north of Rosemary Street to south of Debdale Lane junction to provide a fully segregated cycle track.

On High Pavement in Sutton-in-Ashfield there are plans for the conversion of existing traffic lanes and removal of short-stay on-street parking to create a new lightly segregated cycleway, along with improvements to the traffic signals at the junction of High Pavement, Station Road and Forest Street to provide crossing facilities for cyclists and to improve capacity for other vehicles.

And on Randall Way in Retford, there are plans for a new fully segregated cycleway and footway adjacent to the existing carriageway between Hallcroft Road and the A638 North Road

The council says it envisages some of the changes will be temporary, while others will remain permanent.

It also says it hopes the schemes will ‘help embed walking and cycling as part of long-term commuting habits – helping to improve air quality, road travel and deliver associated health benefits.’

Coun John Cottee, chairman of the highways committee on the council, said: “We’re delighted that Nottinghamshire received the 12th highest allocation of funding overall and reflects the ambitious bid we submitted to Government in the summer following the £263,250 funding we received in July.

“The cycling and walking schemes included in our bid will be prioritised for their ability to support existing council aims and strategies that deliver environmental as well as wider health benefits.

“Now that we have confirmation of the available resources we’ll be pressing forward with the design of the relevant schemes and consulting with communities as quickly as we can.”