Request for data over success of cycle schemes

A councillor asks if the number of people cycling in Sheffield has increased after investment in infrastructure

The success of schemes to boost cycling in Sheffield has been questioned at a council meeting.

Further work to improve cycling and walking routes in the city were approved by Sheffield City Council's planning and highways committee on Monday.

Councillor Glynis Chapman said "lots of money" was being spent on active travel projects and asked officials if there was data on the number of people who were using the routes to travel by bike.

Councillor Douglas Johnson told the meeting he had seen more people cycling and the demographic of riders had changed from being "sweaty men in Lycra".

Work began on the Connecting Sheffield project - which aims to create more cycle paths and pedestrian areas in the city centre - earlier in the year and a Dutch-style roundabout, which gives priority to cyclists and pedestrians, opened in December.

Chapman, who represents Mosborough ward, told the meeting: "We've spent an awful lot of money and I've not seen many more cycles around the city as I'm driving around."

She asked if the council had "spent all this money for just a few people" and argued that "the elderly, the disabled, young people who can't afford to buy a cycle are missing out".

Johnson said he had seen an increase in the number of women and children cycling in the city.

Damian Watkinson, finance manager at the council, said there were counting devices that could detect the number of bicycles passing by a location and he would ask the transport department to provide figures.

Funding was approved at the meeting for cycling improvement schemes, including £142,000 for development work on a crossing on the inner ring road at Neepsend and £20,000 for a scheme to provide cycle storage hangars in residential areas.

Councillors also approved plans to spend £46,000 on cycling infrastructure including bollards, dropped kerbs and traffic filters on East Coast Road, Earl Street, Hurlfield Road, John Street and Five Weirs Walk.

The budget for the Sheaf Valley cycle route between Norton Hammer and Sheaf Quay was also increased by £89,000, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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