Plans revealed to transform travel in city centre

Proposals to overhaul cycling, walking and public transport infrastructure in Sheffield have launched as plans for a city centre scheme are shared for public consultation.

The proposals, which include the permanent pedestrianisation of Pinstone Street, are designed to make cycling and walking around the city centre easier, and to make bus journeys quicker and more direct.

Alongside new bus routes, there will be improvements to the street scene, such as more planting and greenery.

The project is funded by the Government’s Department for Transport’s £50m Transforming Cities Fund (TCF), as part of the Industrial Strategy, which was granted following a successful bid made by Sheffield City Region.

The funding is earmarked for schemes that improve walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure, with a view to making active travel and bus journeys a realistic option for more people.

The City Centre scheme is the first of a number of projects that will be funded by TCF and will sit under the Connecting Sheffield brand, which is Sheffield City Council’s vision for the future of travel.

Connecting Sheffield has a focus on promoting sustainable travel choices that help to ease congestion, combat climate change, improve air quality, and keep people fit and healthy.

The plans must be implemented by March 2023 to meet Government deadlines.

City centre proposals include:

• The pedestrianisation of Pinstone Street and Leopold Street, linking with the Peace Gardens and creating more space for people and events. Access to Cross Burgess Street retained though one-way road access, including to John Lewis car park.
• Bus gates in both directions on Furnival Gate, and along Arundel Gate to Norfolk Street to help ease congestion and allow buses priority into the centre.
• Pedestrianisation of Surrey Street with access maintained to Norfolk Street and Tudor Square. This will help create a new traffic-free Town Hall Square.
• Pedestrianisation of Charles Street between Union St and Pinstone St, with access maintained to Q car park. This area will be transformed into a public space where seating and planting will provide a useable, inviting public area for all to enjoy.
• A new bus hub on Rockingham Street with improvements to pavements, green street, pocket park and new bus stops.

Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport and sustainability at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are excited to start the conversation on the city centre improvements.

“We need to start planning for the future of travel, and to do this, changes need to be made.

“We have already seen some of the benefits of the proposed changes through emergency active travel measures earlier in the year, which include the closure of Pinstone Street so a lot of people have already had some experience of how the scheme could work.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to feedback their views as part of this consultation.

“We recognise that whilst there are a lot of positives to what we are proposing, there may also be some concerns. We are keen to hear from as many people as possible.”

Consultations on the scheme will run until the 7 January 2021. People can find out more by visiting https://connectingsheffield.commonplace.is/