A ROAD safety group in Barnsley has urged drivers to give ‘appropriate space’ when passing cyclists as numbers on the road continue to grow.

South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) is encouraging road users to be more aware of each other and give ‘space’ where appropriate.

With an expected rise in traffic levels as restrictions are lifted many cyclists, who have been staying at home, will be back out on the roads.

This week, SYSRP, supported by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, has launched a ‘Shared Space’ campaign, to encourage tolerance and understanding among all different types of road users.

Joanne Wehrle, manager of SYSRP, said: “As the traffic on the daily commute begins to rise again, we all need to start thinking of the roads as a ‘shared space’ not somewhere hostile where we compete for space.

“During lockdown, many road users turned to two wheels as a socially-distanced form of transport and have realised the many benefits that this brings.

“All we are asking is for everyone on our roads to think more about the space around them, which can be used more effectively by other users.”

The partnership will be using digital ad vans at commuter congestion spots as well as social media posts.

Gareth Overend, road safety lead for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: “The fire service will whole heartedly be supporting the campaign, not only from the aspect of the many miles our officers cover driving around South Yorkshire for work, but also as commuters, with our personnel using two and four wheels to actually get to the many different stations around the county.

“The lockdown restrictions have shown many of us that there are more enjoyable ways to get to work, and as more people start to move around our towns and cities, we need to make it safe for all road users to commute.”