Rotherham town centre cycle scheme will no longer include Westgate following opposition from businesses

The original proposals would have seen traffic on Westgate sharing a single two-way lane, and motor vehicles except for buses and taxis banned from crossing Centenary Way.

The plans were met with opposition from businesses, with one councillor calling for the scheme to be scrapped entirely.

Now, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is set to grant £8m funding for the scheme, which has now been amended to no longer affect Westgate.

A report from the SYMCA states that the option to implement traffic reducing measures on Westgate “received significant local opposition, particularly from businesses”.

It adds that the plans were based on pre-covid traffic counts and following consultation with Active Travel England it was agreed “traffic reduction measures were unnecessary given the current traffic levels”.

Public consultation “did not demonstrate support for the project with the majority of respondents expressing disapproval.

“Opposition to these elements mostly came from local businesses.

“The contentious areas, reduced car capacity at Bradmarsh Way and traffic reduction measures around Westgate, are not included in the proposed scheme which was revised to take into account public feedback.

Costs of the scheme have risen by around ten percent, and now stand at £9.7m.

When complete, the project will provide 4.9km of segregated cycle routes, as well as “improved pedestrian spaces”, and three new crossings between Tinsley and the town centre.

If the funding is approved, works are scheduled to commence in May with the project set to open in July 2024.