Cycle hub plan dropped due to lack of interest

Plans to introduce a cycle parking hub as part of regeneration efforts in an area of Sheffield have been shelved because of a lack of interest.

The idea to build the hub at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park in Attercliffe formed part of a major scheme to encourage active travel in the area.

The aim now is to use £30,200 of the £17m Levelling Up Fund project budget to design up to 100 cycle parking spaces and associated infrastructure.

Rather than a big cycle hub, like the one at Sheffield railway station, this will comprise sets of street bike stands near the Olympic Legacy Park and tram stops.

These are known as Sheffield stands because the idea to use metal piping bent into a square arch shape to create low-cost bike racks apparently came from the Steel City, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A meeting of the council's finance and performance committee heard that as well as a lack of interest, any plans to lease a building for a hub would not be possible as Levelling Up funding pays for capital projects and not rents.

Major plans for Attercliffe include building a NHS children's health research centre being developed by Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust at the Olympic Legacy Park.

Other works include the redevelopment of the former steel production site Spartan Works as the Attercliffe Waterside community, including more than 1,000 homes and the creation of an arts complex, based at the old Adelphi cinema.

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