Sheffield-Chesterfield Bike Route

From Pedalpushers

Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield rail services are set to improve with the introduction of Nottingham - Leeds services. With this a parallel cycle route is needed that will enable people to “mix and match” cycling with the rail service. The problems of congestion on the A61 corridor are well known, and both RSS and LTP’s acknowledge the strong links between Sheffield and the NE Derbyshire/East Midlands areas.

The implementation of the route will require co-operation between Sheffield City Council, Derbyshire County Council and local councils of Dronfield and Chesterfield.

Sheffield City Centre to Meadowhead has a signed route and Chesterfield Rd has some bus lanes/bike facilities, so unlikely to make any further progress here for a while (completion of the route through Meersbrook Park would be useful)

Meadowhead “squareabout” is due to a refurb and although this was postponed by SCC may soon be back on the agenda.

A segregated route is needed between Meadowhead & Bowshaw. (See DfT hierarchy)

Speed limit reductions are needed between Bowshaw and Dronfield, and between Dronfield and Chesterfield. Dronfield itself has a 20 mph speed limit although better enforcement of this is needed. As the area is bypassed there is no need for higher speeds on the local roads.

Sign Mill Lane in Dronfield as a cycle route & improve surface at southern end– avoiding busy section of road. Cycle stands needed for visitors to local shops and the nature park.

Unstone – investigate alternative route following river and avoiding the railway bridge. Note that the Nationwide boatyard has closed, could lead to development, hence planning gain funding.

Sheepbridge – improve conditions under railway bridges; remove ridiculous cycle calming measure in bike lane. If you want to slow someone down slow the traffic down!

A61 Roundabout (James’s cycle shop) Signal controlled crossing at junction of Sheffield Road and Brimington Rd North & station Rd.

Signage in centre of roundabout subway system to include route via TPT to Chesterfield Station. Infrastructure improvements on Brimington Rd N. esp. railway bridge.

Route should be signed from both City Centres and the three Railway Stations.

Feeder routes should be identified that will enable access to the spinal route from residential areas.

Look at integration with the tram to Herdings

Note that the journey time, for an experienced and confident road cyclist, between Sheffield and Chesterfield is less than one hour.

Comments:

Nice start Simon.

Ive only ridden the route a few times but some quick comments.

I don't have any real problem with Meadowhead roundabout (as a fast(?) road cyclist) but I can understand it would be very intimidating to many, and if I was doing the route regularly Im sure I would prefer to head out via Norton and Jordanthorpe Parkway, although speeding motorists seem to be a problem on that route.

That railway bridge at Sheepbridge... What an earth were they smoking when they planned that cycle lane under the bridge with the bike calming?

A61 roundabout, junction with Sheffield road, Station Road, Brimington Rd.

This is a major barrier on the route, more so than Meadowhead at the Sheffield end. I seem to recall last time we went that way it took us some 10 minutes for all of us to safely exit the from the side road. Traffic just spills off the A61 at speed and you have to take a huge risk to get out. A good case for a signal controlled crossing of some kind. Also better signs as I had no idea which way to go, till I recognized Sheffield Road, although the underpass to get there worked well.

I would agree that the route takes less than an hour, maybe 45 mins for a reasonably proficient cyclist (although not if you have to wait 10 mins to get out at the A61 roundabout).

We flew back via Dronfield last time but we did have that wind blowing us back up the hill. I was surprised at how easy a route it can be.

Finally in an ideal world..

For commuting to Chesterfield the purple tram leaving Sheffield station to Herdings is probably running nearly empty at 8.00 in the morning. If you could take a bike on in that direction only up to Herdings park it would give you a huge head start. You could be at Meadowhead in less than 5 mins from Herdings and have a mostly downhill run to Chesterfield. No need to carry cycles into town as its all downhill on the way back.

Council Response - work should start on the Meadowhead - Bowshaw cycle route in the next two years (originally scheduled for completion by 2005) This would be the appropriate time to look at extending the route southwards.