Improved Trans Pennine Trail section opens
The £430,000 upgrade, from Mill Lane to Pastures Road, was carried out by City of Doncaster Council and national walking and cycling charity Sustrans.
The work - funded by the Department of Transport - includes a new permeable hard surface, which drains freely, and the installation of better wayfinding and new seating.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCllr Jane Nightingale, co-vice chair of the Trans Pennine Trail Partnership, said: “It’s wonderful to have the support of Sustrans to work with the TPT partnership and Doncaster Council to secure funding from the Department of Transport to provide these much needed upgrades to both the surfacing and accessibility.
“This will help lead the way to secure a future for the Trail in Doncaster that is fully accessible to all legitimate users.”
A spokesperson for Sustrans added: “We are delighted to open this new section of the Trans Pennine Trail. This path was full of puddles in winter and could be impassable at times.
“We hope the new surface and wider path will help a lot more people feel able to use the route, for trips into Mexborough, for school journeys and for leisure. The improvements should make it easier for people using mobility aids, larger cycles or riding a horse.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“This work was funded by the Department for Transport, as part of our wider programme across the UK to help open up access along the National Cycle Network and create paths that everyone is able to use.”
At the opening event, pupils from Barnburgh Primary School met Cllr Nigel Ball, portfolio holder for public health, communities, leisure and culture and one of Doncaster Council’s representatives on the Trans Pennine Trail Partnership.
The children worked with the council to produce posters on sharing the trail responsibly, which have been installed along the route.
The Trans Pennine Trail runs through 27 local authorities between Southport and Hornsea.
This particular section of the long-distance walking and cycling route has frequently flooded in the past, which had made it increasingly difficult to use.