Transport leader 'shocked' Ecclesall Road named one of the most dangerous in the country

The city was awarded £1.4 million in government funding to improve safety on the A625 between the A61 in Sheffield and the B6375 near Whirlow, taking drivers from the city centre to the Peak District National Park.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, co-chair of the transport committee, said the council did not bid for the money, instead it was given based on government data.

He said: “We were quite shocked when Ecclesall Road was identified as one of the most dangerous roads in the country. They are obviously collecting data that we haven’t.

“It’s good news. I don’t want to alarm residents, we need to understand the data. If I was a resident being told this was one of the worst roads it would be a bit alarming.

“We welcome the resource and we will work with residents and businesses to look at how we reduce accidents and improve it to make a better experience for everyone.

“If I was a resident I would be alarmed but at least now we have some substantial cash to improve it.”

It is one of 27 new schemes across England to benefit from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund.

So far, £100 million was provided through the programme to improve 50 of the most dangerous roads in England, the majority of which are rural.

The national scheme is expected to prevent around 1,450 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years.

Dr Suzy Charman, executive director of the Road Safety Foundation, said it was “transformational” funding.

“Systematic changes have already had a big impact on road death and serious injury, for example seatbelts and airbags protect lives when crashes happen,” she said. “In the same way, we can design roads so that when crashes happen people can walk away.”

Dr Charman said this can be achieved by clearing or protecting roadsides, putting in cross hatching to add space between vehicles, providing safer junctions like roundabouts or adding signals and turning pockets, as well as better infrastructure for walking and cycling.

Details of exactly what improvements will be made in Sheffield are expected at a later date.