Residents are being encouraged to have their say on proposed plans to make part of Ashbourne Road safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Earlier this year, the Council was awarded £475,000 through the third round of the Government’s Safer Roads Fund (SRF) to improve safety on a portion of Ashbourne Road.

The section of the busy commuter route between Markeaton Island and Friar Gate/Agard Street has been identified as high-risk and requiring improvement by the Road Safety Foundation. The funding will be used to introduce measures to reduce collisions and make it easier for active travel, such as walking and cycling.  

The Safer Roads Fund was introduced by the Department for Transport (DfT) to support road safety in England as part of a wider package of investment in Britain’s transport network. In total, £47.5 million of Government funding is being invested to improve 27 of England’s most dangerous roads.

The full list of proposals can be viewed on the Let’s Talk Derby website and includes:

  • Widening footways to better accommodate pedestrians and cyclists
  • Improving existing and creating new crossings
  • Improving visibility and crossing points in the side roads leading to Ashbourne Road
  • Creating additional parking spaces for local businesses
  • Making the existing cycle lane safer
  • New infrastructure to reduce speed

Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability said:

Ashbourne Road is an important part of Derby’s travel network, forming part of the A52 for traffic travelling towards Nottingham. Enhancing the safety of this busy commuter route will have a hugely positive effect, helping to protect many drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

We’re on a mission to make active travel as accessible as possible within the city. We hope that by introducing the proposed measures to this busy commuter route, we can make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and allow more people to choose to leave the car behind when travelling into and out of the city centre. The proposed measures will also support our ambition to become carbon neutral by 2035.

The views and ideas of residents are crucial in helping us shape these proposals and make Ashbourne Road as safe as possible. I encourage as many people as possible to get involved and have their say.

More detailed information about the proposals can be found on the Let’s Talk Derby website. The consultation to help shape the proposed measures is now open and will close at midnight on Wednesday 1 November.