Updated: 27th January 2025
January 2025 – installation of the crossing in progress!
Back in 2019 Bloor Homes applied for planning permission to build an estate of 203 homes on “Land North Of Onslow Road And East Of Station Road, Mickleover, Derby”. This application was granted in June 2020. Full details can be found on the Derby City Planning site – application number “19/00763/FUL”.
As part of the approval commitments were obtained from the developer to provide:
- An off road route through the new estate linking the end of the Mickleover Greenway to the existing off road cycle route near to the BMX track by Murray Park Community School. In the Design and Access Statement document this is described as “A new multi-purpose walking and cycling route will be designed to pass through the development and public open space and will connect to the existing Sustrans Cycle Route 54, providing enhanced connectivity around the development and beyond. A new pedestrian and cycle link with Onslow Road will also be provided.”
- A contribution of £236,000 (£200,000 initially and then £36,000 after occupation of the 50th house) which was to be spent by Derby City Council on providing a Toucan crossing across Station Road to connect the new cycleway through the estate to the existing Mickleover Greenway (NCN 54/68).
This agreement can be seen as part of the planning documents (S106 agreement) on the City Council planning site.
The initial £200,000 payment is for “the provision of or improvements to public transport, cycling and pedestrian facilities and/or network capacity improvements along Station Road , Onslow Road and connecting roads in the vicinity including the provision of a Toucan crossing on Station Road and footway improvements to the north of the development along Station Road.” If this payment is not spent as agreed by the Council within a certain timescale (believed to be 5 years in this case) then the money reverts to the developer and no agreed facilities need to be provided.
We’re pleased to see that the development of the route through the estate is progressing. The final linkage to the existing NCN 54 near to the BMX track is still to be opened as building work is still proceeding but the cycleway can be seen behind a barrier.
At the western end, the cycleway route can be cycled from Station Road and, recently, the promised pedestrian and cycle link from Onslow Road has been opened. We look forward to the opening of the full route through the estate at which point it is understood that the existing route of NCN 54/68 along Onslow Road will be rerouted and resigned to use the new route through the estate.
The plans for the cycle route agreed as part of the development and the implementation of these plans by the developers (so far) seem to be good and we welcome the improvements.
On a more general point, we’re keen to see effective cycling related obligations included in planning permissions but these are of little use if the obligations are not actually delivered (whether by the developer or the Council).
An Update
After a lot of chasing of Derby City Council from various Derby Cycling Group members over the last couple of years, we have now seen sight of the design for the Toucan crossing and work on installing this is in progress in mid January 2025.
The location for the crossing is just south of the entrance to the old station and, on the east side of the road, just south (maybe 5 yards) of the exit of the new cyclepath from the estate. This seems reasonable as only a very minor diversion is needed to reach the crossing and the solution is safer than implementing a crossing directly in line with the cycleway.
The design shows a Toucan crossing (for pedestrians and cyclists) with a central refuge. Some work on the west side of Station Road will build out the existing kerb at the entrance to the Old Station access. This will allow cyclists crossing from east to west to then travel on a small section of pavement before continuing on the access road to the Old Station.
Drop kerbs on each side of Station Road and appropriate textured paving is planned.
As part of the planning application , It is understood that consideration was given to reducing the speed limit around the site of the Toucan crossing to 30mph. However, it is unclear if this will be implemented at the time of the Toucan crossing installation (or at all).