ArundelsOfNorfolk Profile picture

Mar 13, 2022, 26 tweets

More wonderfully wide cycleways with locked gates and poorly signed diversions at @iceshef

The following is a journey along a peculiar cycleway, starting amongst industrial estates, connecting to the heart of the lower Don Valley. It's largely unsigned so I will refer to it as the Attercliffe Cycleway.

Starting on a wide bridge, suitable for future extension to the NCN 627.

Woodbourn Rd
maps.app.goo.gl/6pvzZ1VsgKvK6e…

It seems to have been built by the Sheffield Development Corporation, who worked to regenerate the lower Don Valley
@SheffHistory @sheffield_hods
Any ideas?

Starts off great, wide with people and bikes apart. Keeping everyone safely away from the tram lines.

However, as ever, crossing at traffic lights are missing proper crossings. Easily added

Then it kind of gives up. I suspect Amey has resurfaced it out of existence on the opposite pavement.

Then back to nice wide cycleway.

No directional signage to seen so far

Proper crossing but cycle symbol missing leading to confusion. Still no directional signage but there is a hidden cycle symbol on the side road, leading to the rest of the Attercliffe cycleway

Poor surfaced, unsigned leading towards the canal

Nice wide route over the canal, and another active traveller merrily making waves along the water

After Attercliffe tram stop, very high quality, kerb separated, lit and wide cycleway!

A #lowtrafficneighbourhood, with filtered streets, connected by cycleways. however, the lack of signage means its easy to get lost

The route is then slightly broken by the @OLPSheffield but should be fixed by Connecting Sheffield

The route downgrades to shared paths and once again lacks signage.

Once you reach @ice_sheffield the gates are locked cycleway

One of the stranger elements, another path to nowhere, as the cycleway bridge was ripped out when the Don Valley Bowl was demolished

More wonderfully wide cycleways with locked gates and poorly signed diversions at @ice_sheffield

Press go too early!
Part 2!

Alongside @SheffieldArena , the cycleway becomes part of the National Cycle Network & @TPT_National

Finally good signage!

Minimally cycle parking and substandard crossings over the car park roads of @SheffieldArena

Proper crossings and wide well signed route across centretainment

Inevitably becomes overgrown although @sccstreetsahead have been out recently

And with more overgrowth, it fizzles out onto an industrial estate but quietly links up with the @theblueloop and 5 Weirs walk

A summary:
a route designed to link up some major employment areas but is hard to find and stay on
- some very good, wide sections, kept apart from walkers
- signage is either excellent or none existent

However, a bright future ahead.....

Connecting Sheffield will thread a high quality route across it, making it useful and safe to use again.

Improvements needed but the spine linking employment & leisure is there.

There will also be hundreds of new homes at Attercliffe Waterside

Thanks for reading my ramblings!

@SheffHistory @sheffield_hods @cllrpeteprice Do you know much about these cycle paths and who put them all in?
Was it the development corporation?

@OLPSheffield @PeteZanzottera @DameSarahStorey You can just about spot the old cycleway before it was chopped up

Just look at what we lost 😱
@CycleSheffield

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