Esh Construction is working in partnership with local authorities across South Yorkshire to deliver £11 million active travel schemes in line with the region’s ambitious targets.
South Yorkshire’s active travel proposal aims to introduce 620 miles of accessible walking and cycling routes, 800 safe crossings and 200 square miles of low-traffic neighbourhoods in a bid to encourage communities to undertake journeys by walking, cycling or wheeling.
As part of the plans, Esh is working with Rotherham Council to improve cycling infrastructure to connect the south-east of town and central Rotherham.
The Wellgate and Broom Road project, which is now almost complete, has introduced 1.4km of dedicated cycle tracks, along with signal-controlled crossings and associated junction improvements, to make it safer and more convenient for pedestrians and cyclists to travel the route.
Work is ongoing just three miles west of Wellgate and Broom Road on the Sheffield Road Cycleways and Maltby Bus Corridor project, the largest of the three developments, with a contract value of £6.4 million.
Funded by Rotherham Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, with monies secured from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, Esh was appointed as design and build contractor and work started back in May. The design phase was concluded in spring this year.
Maltby Bus Corridor will bypass areas of congestion on the A631 route into the town centre and enable faster and more reliable services, particularly those linking Maltby to Rotherham and onwards to Sheffield City Centre via Magna and Meadowhall. Esh will construct 2.8km of new bus lanes and introduce new signalised junctions and pedestrian crossing arrangements.
Over 2km of new cycle routes will be introduced as part of the Sheffield Road Cycleways project through a series of major highway amendments on the A6178 Sheffield Road and Westgate between the town centre and the Borough boundary at Tinsley.
Steven Garrigan, Divisional Director at Esh Construction, said: “We are building on an extensive portfolio of experience in delivering this type of project which requires extensive logistical planning when working across online travel networks and commuter routes. We look forward to assisting more local authorities to achieve their active travel plans in the coming years.”
In partnership with Barnsley Council, Esh worked across four sites to create off and on road cycling infrastructure and new crossing points, along with upgraded street lighting and the installation of wayfinding signage to enhance links to key routes and residential areas. The scheme was known as the A61 and A635 active travel project and was part of the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.
Garrigan added: “There is huge change happening across South Yorkshire and having the right infrastructure forms a major part of this.”
“Local authorities are aligning their plans with Government funding streams such as the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement programme and the Transforming Cities Fund, which brings with it a vast amount of work to be procured and delivered over the coming years. It is essential that transport networks are improved to encourage more sustainable journeys to be made.”
We are building on an extensive portfolio of experience in delivering this type of project which requires extensive logistical planning when working across online travel networks and commuter routes. We look forward to assisting more local authorities to achieve their active travel plans in the coming years.”
