erm.......... during the precious yet all too common moments i have to sit in another wonderful Sheffield traffic jam - i question the problems which cause the jams (i.e. bottlenecks etc) and try to find a solution to the problem. I have an idea but you will have to bear with me - its a longshot but should do myself no harm in projecting myself to 'town planner' status. your ideas would be appreciated.

By now, we should all know that Sheffield is going through phases of rapid redevelopment to stop itself falling behind the other major urbanised centres in the UK. We embraced the arrival of the supertram - and while its purpose has sometimes been brought into question, it has a marvellous potential for greener, faster, and efficient transportation.

We also accept that one of the city's hotspots for traffic covers the stretch from Safeway Roundabout on the inner bypass, along Ecclesall Rd past Hunters Bar, up to the point of the Ecclesall Rd intersection with Psalter Lane.

Well why not scrap the roundabout at Safeway's - flatten it out as with other underpasses (eyre st. etc). Build a modern overhead walkway from all four corners which meets in a ring point in the centre. Within the ring a lit up landmark which signifies the history and culture of sheffield that can be seen by all. Walkways can be lit up with neon lighting - reflecting a 21st century city (bright/safe environment for pedestrians which removes need for safeways traffic lights crossing). Then you are left with a crossroads. Three lanes off each approach; left lane allows left turn only (with constant amber warning), middle lanes timed for equal distribution of forward facing traffic only, right lanes timed for right turn (most complex).
At Hunters Bar, amid heavy contention, similar principle of relocating the Roundabout Gate - and the removal of the roundabout, creating a crossroads.

Now this is the 'thinking cap' part --- move the remaining car showrooms off Ecclesall Road (up to Saville St), primary sites for use --- Reg Vardy, and the Vauxhall/Kwik Fit site. Then relocate the Blocbusters, Pizza Hut, Tesco and other stores to this point (possibly only temporarily. Then dig up Berkley Square, creating a five storey underground (limited stay) free car park, then create a proper shopping centre on site to possibly rehouse the main shops. Then remove the parking off Ecclesall Road - double red-lining the street, however a further car park in a now disused former carshowroom may be required.
Now from West St. @ The Saddle Pub, create a tram junction which runs down Walkabout/Flares St. down to Charter Row with a flyover turning right down Charter Row. Create stopping points for Top/Middle/Bottom of Moor (great for current city centre restructuring plans). Create a tram underpass (like University tramstop) at Safeways Rdbt, and you can now run the tram along the new exclusive tram/bus/taxi only left lane of Ecclesall Rd to the new improved shopping precinct. Continue the tram route up through Whirlow out to Dore, run it down alongside Dore onto Abbeydale Rd South (citybound). The choice could then be to either run the tram down Abbeydale Rd/ Bramall Lane/Back to Charter Row via Eyre St or by running the tram Abbeydale Rd South (citybound) through Greenhills/and back to the city using the former train tracks behind Chesterfield Road.
As for the Psalter Lane junction, Psalter Lane traffic must use left lane on to Ecclesall Rd South (Prince of Wales bound) whereas Ecclesall Rd traffic uses right lane, reserving left lane for left turn onto Psalter Lane only!! This will keep the traffic moving - avoiding all the queues. And with a functioning tram that passes through heavily urbanised living and commercial areas, an achieveable transport infrastructure too!! Not to mention a modernised yet highly attractive Ecclesall Rd.

Just in closing - i mentioned benefits to the UK. Remove all lorry traffic off the motorways until after 7pm at night, which would avoid the traffic jams on M1,M25,M6,M42 and M4. Not only will we be able to drive in a less stressful environment - but with an enforced speed variation for all vehicle users on the motorway, fuel conservation for both car and lorry users. Remove every other motorway overhead light, and we will save a hell of a lot of power in the process too.


I know there was a lot to read and take in above - its been on my mind for so long now, i just had to get it out into the public. Please comment on my suggestions. If you disagree with my suggestions, feel free to suggest alternatives rather than just saying ' thats a crap idea'. I would be very interested to hear from you all!!! **MESSAGE ENDS**

I have a similar problem to you with Ecclesall Rd and agree with some of your suggestions. There are 2 disused petrol stations on Eccy Rd that could be turned into small multi storey car parks and parking ON the road could be banned. Another car park could be built ON TOP OF(!) pizza hut/ blockbuster, etc. The Network Q Vauxhall garage is a major problem as it narrows the side heading out of down to 1 lane creating a bottle neck, so widen the road at that point and network Q can either move or just not put its cars right on the edge of the pavement like it does now (as this area would become the pavement.) Hunters Bar roundabout could be turned into a cross roads like you suggest, as this is another major bottle neck. Until things change I will use the Psalter Lane rat run though.

grrrrrrr so its you is it?

I live on Psalter Lane ----- near the top and i can't park outside my house because the traffic levels are so high. Well well well, you and all your other 1 mph friends that sit and stare at my luxurious house can rev your engines and spill more pollution in my direction :)

Only kidding - i have a new and possibly improved route for ya however - turn left at the roundabout at bottom and drive through brincliffe and 'da' edge, its quick and its virtually car-free. Alternatively, sharrowvale road to end, left up the street that brings you onto junction rd, turn right and then left up hunter house road - works for me!!

Oh and by the way - i'd appreciate if all drivers as they approach my house - discard their litter and cigarette butts down the alley. I love cleaning them up and it gives me something to do as im a bored redundant student!!

Have tried the Nether Edge/Brincliffe route that comes out at the bottom of Brincliffe Edge Road. Seems a long way round and not much faster, though less traffic than Psalter Lane.

Talking of finding a good route and avoiding traffic, how about this one:

STANNINGTON to PSALTER LANE at rush hour:
My previous route was Stannington to A57 junction with Rivelin Valley Road, to Crosspool, and either through Broomhill/Hunters Bar/ or miss out Broomhill......I find it takes centuries and traffic backs up at crosspool. Broomhill and Hunters bar, and trying to turn right off junctioj Rd to psalter lane a nightmare.

recently I tried a variation and saved myself an amazing 20 minutes, althoughn ot totally traffic free, which it will never be of course. Stannington (Long Lane), down to Rivelin Valley Rd, then onto A57, up that twisty steep road that leads to lodge Moor, forget its name, a very snake like steep hill that comes out on redmires Raod junction with Blackbrook Rd...across to blackborrk road, right at the end onto the country road that snakes through mayfield Valley over to the Norfolk Arms at Ringinglow, left and straight along to High Storrs, down to Eccelsall Rd South and then left and its 200 yeards to Psalter lane start. The only problem is trying to get out onto Eccelsall Rd South which takes up to 20 minutes, but I still save time rather than getting stuck in Crosspool or Hunters bar roundabout.

Any other route suggestions. I think the latter is prob the closest I can get, I cant avoid Ecclesall Road coming from this end, its juts the school run traffic piles up at the junction with the main road and this causes a lot of bad language and V signs, usually from school run mothers badly driving MPV's!!!!!

i heard someone talking about modifications to eccy road today as i was walking through uni. Ummm it sounded very similar to my suggestion - perhaps my idea has potential or perhaps someone on this site wants to take credit for my suggestion. No great shakes either way - just as long as the name SHEFFIELDFORUM.CO.UK gets mentioned.

Geoff, if you wanna send loads of stickers with logo on em, my way, then i can plaster them all over the london underground and beyond.... You'll be needing to upgrade your PC to deal with the demand.

Much Love XxX

So let's get this straight. You are proposing getting rid of roundabouts and replacing them with crossroads in order to reduce traffic congestion?

:loopy:

Originally posted by Escafeld1889
So let's get this straight. You are proposing getting rid of roundabouts and replacing them with crossroads in order to reduce traffic congestion?

:loopy:

you just have to look at the current system in place - if you have ever seen traffic in rush hour, you will know that the current roundabout system simply is not effective. During quiet periods, i agree that roundabouts have their purpose. But what happens at the moment is that one direction of traffic will flood a gap of space that becomes available in its continuing direction. Then some muppets jump on the end of that traffic queue - blocking off traffic coming from another direction. This causes other traffic flows to then be blocked when they are given right off way - only then for a change in right of way for the original flow of traffic (hope this making sense). Essentially - as traffic flows increase, the existing measures for traffic control are flawed. You would need to implement a controlled crossroads which works in favour of heavy flowing traffic, especially if any proposal for a tram is ever considered along ecclesall road.

You need to check out the proposals for Sheaf Square. The Roundabout is going (ummm i wonder why!!) and you will see that linear traffic routes are more beneficial in the long run. I have no evidence which backs up my claim, but if you can produce facts and figures that prove my methods are flawed - i will gladly retract my suggestions!!