£6million fund for cycling and walking infrastructure at Doncaster railway stations

Plans have been drawn up to hand down the money in order to carry out the improvements which comes directly from the £166 million Transforming Cities Fund.

SCR transport bosses said the money will aim to deliver a ‘package of enhancements’ to station accessibility at Adwick, Bentley, Conisbrough, Kirk Sandall, Thorne North and Thorne South.

The wider plan also includes; 10.1 km of improved walking and cycling infrastructure, 10.9km of new walking and cycling infrastructure and 30 junction improvements to benefit ‘non-car modes’.

Doncaster Council transport officers said the schemes will aim to shift people away from private cars on those travel corridors and improve connectivity for public transport users, pedestrians and cyclists throughout the borough.

They also said the installation of segregated cycle facilities will enable more cycle journeys and provide connectivity for riders throughout the borough to access train stations as part of their commute.

Sue Sykes, assistant director of the programme and performance unit at Sheffield City Region, said: “The Stations Access package aims to enhance accessibility to and from railway stations within Doncaster, including Adwick, Bentley, Conisborough, Kirk Sandall, Thorne North and Thorne South.

“It is aimed to deliver interventions that support connectivity to future High Speed Rail 2/Northern Powerhouse Rail so that the rail network can become a viable alternative to the private car.

“The project complements other TCF intended works including a package focused upon rail station improvements including enhanced signage, CCTV and lighting, and a package of improvements to cycle parking at each of the stations.”

In March 2020 the Department for Transport approved a grant award to South Yorkshire of £166.3m from the Transforming Cities Fund .

This grant was allocated from April 2019 to March 2023 resourcing a ‘programme of transformational public transport, active travel and rail initiatives’.

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