Rotherham road schemes hit by £1m cuts

The Stag roundabout was in line for a £200,000 facelift this year, but cash from the Strategic Local Transport Plan has fallen to £20,000.

It will now be considered for 2011/12, along with footpath improvements on Cramfit Road, North Anston, after £55,500 of Objective 1 cash was withdrawn.

The budget for the an extension to Wickersley Road’s bus lane has been cut by 40 per cent to £15,000.

Bus stops on the road will still be improved, but not pedestrian islands.

Accessibility improvements at East Herringthorpe, including a link with Dalton, have been prioritised and should still go ahead.

Tom Finnegan-Smith, Rotherham Borough Council’s acting transportation unit manager, said in a Cabinet report to the : “In recommending the schemes which will continue to be prioritised for funding in 2010/11, we have given consideration to those schemes that have lower risks associated with them, so the expenditure of this year’s budget is maximised.

“There is still a risk that the full programme expenditure will not be achieved, or that there will be further cuts to future years settlements which may affect the deliverability of schemes to be considered for inclusion in the 2011/12 programme.

“Monitoring systems are in place to improve programme management to ensure that the funds will be fully spent in working towards the LTP objectives.

“It should be noted that further cuts to local transport funding received from the Department for Transport are anticipated from the 2011/12 financial year, with a figure of up to 40 per cent being considered.”

The revised transport plan was put before before the Cabinet member for regeneration and environment yesterday.