Cycle lanes reviewed after thousands sign petition

Cycle lane schemes in Rotherham will be reviewed and greater consideration given to road safety measures after thousands of people signed a petition.

The 3,600-signature petition, which councillors unanimously accepted, called for all existing and proposed schemes funded through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement to be reconsidered.

The petition called for crossings, traffic calming, wider pavements and safer routes to schools to be prioritised over dedicated cycle and bus lanes.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Conservative councillor Paul Thorp said: "All the current build schemes have proven the point: the lanes are not used and the data has not been positive for any of them."

The petition, organised by Thorp, asked Rotherham Council to "take the blinkers off and look at what people want and need".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Thorp said he had wanted to get the authority to rethink its policy for the funding it pursued over active travel.

"Even though the funding allows walking, wheeling, cycling, and public transport, all the emphasis has been on cycling and bus lanes," he said.

The decision of the full council meeting to accept the petition came just weeks after Labour council leader Chris Read confirmed the proposed £10.7m Broom Road and Wickersley Road extension scheme would not go ahead.

That package included cycle routes and controlled crossings around Stag Roundabout, alongside options for new cycle and bus lanes.

It was abandoned after consultation found the proposals lacked public support.

During the council debate, the petition calling for a review of schemes across Rotherham received cross-party support.

Green councillor Mick Bower said the council had "totally ignored what the people want" and made residents "doubt local democracy".

He said about £250,000 had been spent planning the abandoned scheme, money he argued could have funded measures residents wanted.

Responding, Councillor John Williams, cabinet member for transport, jobs and the local economy, said: "This administration has engaged with our communities. We've listened and we're acting on their feedback."

Williams said the council had reviewed the consultation responses before reaching what it considered the appropriate decisions on the schemes.

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