Millions for improving walking and cycling across Plymouth
The money will help fund a range of projects across the city
More than £4.3 million of government cash has been granted to Plymouth City Council to improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists in the city.
Of the six road fatalities in Plymouth in 2024, four were pedestrians and of the 524 road casualties in that year 90 were pedestrians and 51 cyclists.
Half a million will be used to deliver cycle safety improvements to the roundabout east of Stonehouse Bridge, a junction which has the worst record for pedestrian and cyclist road traffic collisions in Plymouth.
Among other schemes to be funded will be “a missing link” at Ponsonby Road/Alma Road to Central Park, connecting with the previous improvements at Somerset Place.
This project has been in the pipeline and on the council’s capital programme of over 300 projects but has been awaiting external funds. The council says it will provide an important final connection to Central Park.
Council reports say a lack of adequate cycle parking provision in the city can be seen as discouraging residents from choosing cycling as a mode of transport.
Leader of the council Tudor Evans (Ham) accepted the funding offer and allocated it to the capital programme under delegated powers last Friday.
Some £3.519 of capital funding will be used to deliver projects over four years and £828,000 of revenue funding will be used to develop future schemes; remove barriers to active travel; maintain existing routes and encourage road safety behaviour change.
By 2035, the government wants walking, wheeling and cycling to be a safe, easy and accessible option for everyone – allowing people to embed the economic, health and environmental benefits of active travel into their daily life if they choose.
The remainder of the capital funding will be spent as follows:
£150,000 to reconfigure the pedestrian crossing of Garfield Terrace / Devonport Road.
£719,480 to deliver road safety improvement and crossing facilities on Elburton Road / Sherford Road roundabout.
£750,000 to construct Plymstock Safer School Streets, addressing the narrow pavement of Church Road and introducing pedestrian facilities at the junction of Horn Cross Road so that more children can walk, wheel and cycle to school safely
£150,000 to improve the National Cycle Network Route 2 between the new crossing of Cot Hill and St Mary’s Park, widening pavements, dropping kerbs and improving the pedestrian and cycle environment.
£500,000 to deliver cycle safety improvements to the roundabout east of Stonehouse Bridge. This junction has the worst record for pedestrian and cyclist road traffic collisions in Plymouth.
£150,000 to address a road safety location on the uphill section Forder Valley Road West through the provision of cycle facilities.
£100,000 for Ham Drive / Honicknowle Lane junction. The provision of signalised crossings was partially funded through Consolidated Active Travel Fund for two of four arms. This additional funding will enable the signalisation of the whole junction.