Over 250 schemes, including resurfacing more than 100km of roads and paths, have been completed as part of the Streets for People programme. With additional funding secured, the programme can now continue later in the year.
In 2021, the council successfully bid as part of a competitive process for £18 million from the Government’s Levelling Up fund to improve streets and local town centres and make walking and cycling easier and safer. The largest amount of this money (£11 million) was for the Streets for People programme.
The funding was split between each ward, with areas most in need getting more funding. The works were identified by local people and prioritised by ward councillors. Across all twenty wards pavements and walkways have been upgraded to make them safer, especially considering the needs of older people and those with less mobility. Roads and cycle paths have been repaired to help improve traffic flow and safety.
Over 200 trees were planted to make neighbourhoods greener. The team organised verge planting and created new tree pits on pavements in areas including Berridge and Mapperley. Schools near the planting areas were contacted to involve the community and young people in the programme. In Bulwell, a mural was painted and planters have been filled.
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Although the initial Government support for Nottingham City Council’s Levelling Up fund has now ended, the Council has another stream of funding for 2024/2025. This comes from the Government’s Local Transport Plan, which means the team can continue with the Streets for People programme to improve roads and make walking and cycling easier and safer.
The full list of roads for the second phase of the Streets for People scheme is being put together, ready for work to start again in autumn 2024.
Nottingham City Council Leader and Executive Member for Strategic Regeneration, Transport and Communications, Councillor Neghat Khan said: “This is a fantastic example of the council using grant funding to deliver much-needed improvements in the city. I’m pleased that we’ve asked people to identify the work they would like to see in their own neighbourhoods and communities so that we can show how their input is making a real difference. Clearly there is more work to do, and people can be reassured that the Streets for People scheme will continue to make improvements in the autumn.”
PIC & GRAPHICS: TRANSPORT NOTTINGHAM
