A stretch of the A57 Snake Pass.
The funding has come from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund, to improve safety along the most high-risk roads in England.
The money will be targeted at a 23-mile stretch of the A57 between Glossop and Sheffield.
The route is the highest road in Derbyshire and includes a series of steep bends, twists and blind junctions.
The road is used by more than 30,000 vehicles each week including local farm vehicles, and is popular with motorcyclists and cyclists.
The collision data submitted to the Department for Transport stated that between 2018 and 2023, there were 5 fatalities, 62 serious and 102 slight collision casualties.
Councillor Charlotte Hill, Cabinet Member for Potholes, Highways and Transport said:
“The Snake Pass is a major tourist route and a key economic connection for our county with Sheffield and Manchester.
“We have already carried out a number of safety improvements along the route, but a more holistic solution is required to save lives and change road user attitudes and behaviour along this challenging stretch of road.
“We welcome the award from the Safer Routes Fund for a suite of road safety measures worth £7.6 million – an investment well beyond the means of our annual road maintenance budget for the county.
“Using our experience gained from similar challenging routes in the county, we will now be able to finalise our proposals for the Snake Pass, in readiness for a public consultation later this year.
“We look forward to being able to deliver a step change in road safety and reduce casualties along this significant route.”
The proposed safety improvements, subject to a detailed public consultation later this year, include:
- up to 10 average speed camera sites along the route, with speed limit reminder signs
- improving the junction of the A57 and Manor Park Road in Glossop, to narrow the road and reduce the time it takes for pedestrians to cross the road
- a pedestrian crossing at the Dinting Vale viaduct, to provide a safer walking route for pedestrians to the railway station
- advanced ‘road restraint’ safety barriers, designed to prevent motorcyclists sliding under existing safety barriers, to reduce potential injuries
- anti-skid friction surfacing, at bends and existing collisions sites, to help minimise braking distances
Historical records suggest that landslips have taken place along the Snake Pass with road closures dating back at least 90 years.
The announcement of funding for the A57 marks the fourth time we have secured money from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund. Previous projects include the A619 ‘13 Bends’ route between Bakewell and Baslow, the A5004 Long Hill between Buxton and Whaley Bridge and the A5012 Via Gellia route between Cromford and Newhaven.
We will manage the delivery of the road safety improvements along the A57 Snake Pass, with the funding split between Derbyshire (£6 million) and the Sheffield City Region (£1.6 million).