Over the past 3 weeks rush hour traffic appears to have tripled.

Apart from the students, who wouldnt be up and about until after the evening rush hour, why is this?

The school run was never this bad prior to summer, and with the schools just going back an increase is expected, but not this much.

This is from ecclesall road heading towards the parkway, both runs, morning and evening.

Even tonight at 6:30 there was a queue from Park SQ way past the Train station etc...

Grr.

never mind rush hour, it seems to be all the time at the mo!!!
I'm used to Rutland Road being a 1st gear crawl all the way up to the traffic lights from around 4pm, at the moment its all day!! WHY!!!

Its probably because Corporation street is down to one lane, it has been for a while now

I figured it might be something to do with that, and Spital Hill being one-way. It seems to be causing traffic build up in some unexpected areas. Expect it to get worse before it gets better - how long until the ring road is finished?

I noticed the same thing, used to take me 25 min to get to work now it can take me 40 min. I take the route near spital hill/carlise st where all the diversions are though.

And Shalesmoor being closed inbound. It all adds up.

Not sure whether the Corporation Street bit is related to the Shalesmoor and Spital Street bit, but if it is, then the new road is listed as being finished in summer 2007. Doesn't it just make the heart soar to think that we've got another 2 years of it?

To make matters worse the Parkway has signs advising of roadworks betweet 10 th Oct and 25th Nov for upgrading of streetlights.

Oh well, in fairness to the council, I'd be complaining if they did nothing to address the existing inadequacies of Sheffields road network, so it's a bit of a no win situation for them.

I'm sure it will be great when it's finished :)

The new ring road road works cause me huge problems every day, but I agree, they should solve a lot of problems and have to be done sometime.

I used to go up Netherthrope Road each day but now it's almost always a standstill because the Corporation Street works have cause traffic to queue back up the hill and over Brook Hill Roundabout. Now I use Corporation Street and take a large(ish) diversion, but it's quicker than waiting in tha traffic. Funny thing is, Corporation Street moves fine once on it, and Nursery Street is empty - it's all the roads getting to it that cause the problems.

However, I can't understand why the council have started the whole thing at once. Why not do it in sections so there isnt total traffic chaos? That would have helped.

Don't forget that this time every single year, traffic gets gradually heavier up until christmas.

It's the same every single year and always has been. September when the schools and collages are back until the end of December, things get very slowly more mad every single week.

By the third week in December, the average mile in rush hour will take 45 minutes again in every main road in the city.

its a pain because i could easily do my parents in rotherham to gripple in 30 mins (15miles) and now its taking me 30 mins to go 2 miles from eccy road to work in a morning and 45 mins to get home in a night. all without my car stereo is mighty annoying!!

it would be slightly more relaxing if i could have my music flowing, ive only just realised how relaxing bass is!

It's a nightmare. It takes me about 45 mins to an hour to get home from work in the car or about 10 - 15 minutes on the bike!

The traffic's certainly got worse in Sheffield since the summer. I know it normally goes a little worse after the holidays, but as someone else said it's definately a lot worse now. I am dreading the Christmas traffic!:(

I think the council have cleverly shut off certain roads, making the roadworks coincide with each other to concentrate traffic and push us to public transport! Is it a conspiracy? (or am I just being paranoid at this late hour when I should be in bed?)

The upsetting thing is that my mate can get the majority of his way home before I can and I live 4 1/2 miles from work and he lives near Stockport! Crossing certain parts of Sheffield at certain times is ridiculous.

My tips to other drivers though:

1) Don't block box junctions
2) Don't block traffic lights
3) Don't block junctions
4) Rushing out before the light goes red normally leaves you stuck somewhere blocking other cars
5) Chill out, if you get wound up and start arguing the journeys a lot longer (like the 2 idiots at the bottom of carterknowle road the other day getting out to fight, grow up kids)
6) Let cars pull in to your lane in turn, left then right then left etc. instead of nose to bumper driving in some sort of personal territory stake

There are probably more, but these are just some of the daft things I see every day. It's funny because if people thought for another second instead of just jumping forward or were more certious and relaxed with each other then around 1/4 of the traffic jams wouldn't be caused in the first place.

Oh yeah, also thanks to all of you who let us motorcyclists down the middle without blocking us. It's a legal manouvre and it's appreciated when you don't cause a fuss with us doing it. Recently I've noticed a lot more friendly approach from Sheffield's car drivers when filtering, some even moving over slightly. Thanks!:)

My advice for people who have less than a couple of miles to travel is walk. It will be quicker, and will reduce the problem. Makes me laugh that people who are capable of walking, drive a mile or so to work and then complain about all the traffic.

Get out of the car!!!

I can agree with the conspiracy theory!

I found a number of little-known short cuts to avoid the bulk of the traffic, and one by one, as they become more popular, they get coned off. No roadworks in them, just no entry signs and cones blocking the way. It certainly does look like it's deliberate to force you to sit in the traffic.

If the council are going to cause the mass chaos that is evident at the moment and expect us to put up with it for 2 years then they need to give us as many alternative routes as possible.

One thing I have noticed, the council have given a diversion to ease the problems associated with Corporation Street. It takes you past the courts towards Bridge Street and ultimately brings you out at the bottom of Corporation Street. A slightly longer route than sitting in the traffic but NO ONE is using it. As a result the queues off every road near Corporation Street are terrible and causing other roads to grind to a halt. If half the people took the diversion then the traffic should be back to where it was before the lane closures in theory.

I use the Bridge Street diversion sometimes, but it's just as bad trying to get to it. There's no point using it from West Bar and the only way I can think of getting to it from the other direction is by coming off Park Sq and heading behind the Magistrates Court.

Any ideas?!

Whilst you are sat in your traffic jam, take a look around you. How many cars contain just the one person(usually an irate driver)?

Do some cities (Leeds?) operate lanes for car sharers? Does this ease any problems or is it open to the general abuse that occurs on the roads ?

Apart from that if you can, get on yer bike, use shanks' pony or the archaic public transport Sheffield has to offer.

Ohh and smile...really freaks other drivers out!

i work for a taxi company, (on the radio), and complaints to me, seem to have tripled at rush hour, this last 2 weeks.

It always gets bad after summer, but this year seems particularly bad...

wait till next week when ramadan starts then i'll know what a real head ache is, hehe,

happy driving

Originally posted by Herbaliser
I use the Bridge Street diversion sometimes, but it's just as bad trying to get to it. There's no point using it from West Bar and the only way I can think of getting to it from the other direction is by coming off Park Sq and heading behind the Magistrates Court.

Any ideas?!

I know what you mean about there being no point once you are at West Bar roundabout. But if lots more people used it then there wouldn't be such a huge jam at the roundabout to start with.

God knows what the traffic chaos is doing to bus timetables. When I am crawling along Scotland Street at night I see loads and loads of busses (all the ones diverted from using Shalesmoor) and it takes them just as long as cars obviously.

Last night it took me half an hour to go the length of Scotland Street! I could have walked it in less than 5 minutes!

Its not just Sheff either peeps

It usually takes me an hour to get from 'boro to the other side of Hudds to work.

No chance at t'minute. I even sat off so I knew I'd get into Hudds about 7.45 this morning. Guess what? Traffic jams a plenty even at that time in the morning.

I'm seriuosly considering doing my CBT and getting a bike. Bit more realistic than saving up for the helicopter :D

Originally posted by Saifa
I'm seriuosly considering doing my CBT and getting a bike. Bit more realistic than saving up for the helicopter :D Good plan. You can pick up cheap twist and goes for £200-300 and insurance is just stupidly cheap as well as fuel.

I use an NC30 to commute sometimes instead of the car (sports bike) but it's a bit of overkill compared to what I actually need. I am also thinking of buying a cheap scooter to commute on to save the mileage from my bike.

Just as an example though, this morning I set off at 8:45 and got to work at 9am without any problems. If I go to work in the car I have to set off at 8am to get here for that sort of time.

And last night, one person left here at 5.15. I left a bit late last night at 5.30 and passed them just under a mile down the road in traffic. I then got home at around 5:50, so only 20 minutes, it took them until 6.30 to get home!

Being on two wheels is a serious traffic beater, especially when you learn to filter properly. Most other drivers also accept it's a legal manouvre too and let you past (apart from the idiot in the silver car last night on Hanover Way, but I am sure we will meet again).

In the summer it's great too. Nice warm weather, dry roads etc. but even now it's not too bad. You may get a bit wet at times, but a decent set of water proofs soon sorts that out.

It comes down to choice I guess, I could have sat in my nice warm dry car for over an hour last night, or spend 10/20 minutes getting a bit wet and get home quicker.

i cant the tram at Leppings lane tram stop every morning, over the past month or so, it has taken me 40 minutes to get to teh university, a few months ago it only used to take around 15 minutes, might not even have been that!
The on the way home at night, jeeeze, it takes me from 5pm till around 5.50pm, its ridiculous!

What he heck has happened? :huh:

Originally posted by tslogf74
how long until the ring road is finished?

Due to be completed late Summer of 2007.



Originally posted by Jivester To make matters worse the Parkway has signs advising of roadworks between 10 th Oct and 25th Nov for upgrading of streetlights.

This work is from POW Rd roundabout to Handsworth roundabout so shouldn't have any real affect on the City Centre

I was wondering about this just the other day. I leave work at the top of Collegiate Crescent at 17:30. It would normally take me a few minutes, if that, to get to Ecclesall Road (obviously, seeing as it is only a few hundred yards away).

However, in the past few weeks these few minutes have turned into a minimum of 15, usually more! My girlfriend now has to walk to the Ecclesall Road bus stop from work, rather than me giving her a lift, as she will inevitably miss her bus if she gets a lift with me.

Surely this massive increase in traffic can't be solely attributed to students?

I hope it gets better :sad:

And always much worse on a Tuesday for some reason. Has been for the last few months.

Or is it just me and my Tuesday blues?

Whats your thoughts on the present state of the roads and surroundings.

Drives me crackers and i dont even go any where near there.

On the subject, whats your thoughts on Bolton Wanderers?

Blummin Scary!!!!

Oh how I miss these slow afternoons.....

Originally posted by EyeSpy
Drives me crackers and i dont even go any where near there.



If you don't go there, how do you know about the state of it and why does it drives you crackers? :suspect:

Originally posted by the_rudeboy
If you don't go there, how do you know about the state of it and why does it drives you crackers? :suspect:

I used it once recently, sat in traffic for over 12 minutes at rush hour. Pesky road works.

IMO roads should be free st rush hour of everything except commuters be it orivate or public transport.

I would love to get a job nearer home so I can ditch the car and get the bus, cycle or walk. Unfortunatly I work just outside the city limits in a place that is not accessable by public transport.

Its a sad fact of todays society that everyone thinks that they have to get in their car every morning and drive to work through congested city roads only if it is a couple of miles away.

I've lived in Sheffield most of my life and the congestion problem just gets worse every year. Journeys in rush hour that used to take 30 minutes can now take over an hour especilly when it rains!

I suppose the problem will just get worse as people can buy a car for a couple of hundred pounds. There are several households on my street who have grown up children still living at home, both parents have cars both children have cars, thats 4 cars parked on the street!

Anyway enough moaning, I plan to retire early and emigrate from this increasingly overcrowded country!

People shouldn't have to justify their use of their car if they pay their taxes.

Be OK next week - a lot of traffic seems associated with schools!

Originally posted by EyeSpy
I used it once recently, sat in traffic for over 12 minutes at rush hour. Pesky road works.

IMO roads should be free st rush hour of everything except commuters be it orivate or public transport.

Unfortunately a project like the Inner Relief Road doesn't happen over night, it takes time. If works are restricted at the rush hour then that reduces the working day by quite a large chunk. Therefore the works would take even longer to complete.
This is a huge project, around £56m, bare with it and we'll all reap the rewards.....as we have with Supertram.

Originally posted by Ubiquitous
People shouldn't have to justify their use of their car if they pay their taxes.

Yer what? Are you just going to ignore the congestion then? Grow up, take some responsibility for your actions and accept that you using you car does contribute towards the problems of congestion, polution, and the health of everyone who breathes in the traffic fumes. Not to mention the fact that the ONLY reason it takes ages to get anywhere in a car is because of all the other people in cars.

I completely agree with using cars for long journeys (7 miles+) where walking and cycling are not viable, but what I think is completely irresponsible is people using their cars to go on short journeys that could be comfortably walked or cycled and then complaining about the traffic.

Originally posted by ptigga
Not to mention the fact that the ONLY reason it takes ages to get anywhere in a car is because of all the other people in cars.



The art of rational thinking is still alive and kicking i see............................................... .................................................. ...............:loopy: :loopy:

I completely agree with using cars for long journeys (7 miles+) where walking and cycling are not viable, but what I think is completely irresponsible is people using their cars to go on short journeys that could be comfortably walked or cycled and then complaining about the traffic. [/B]

Hang on!

Perhaps people who have heavy manual jobs don't fancy riding a bike up and down dale twice a day. Especially when it's peeing down. And cycling isn't exactly the safety method of transport is it?

:nono:

Originally posted by ptigga
Yer what? Are you just going to ignore the congestion then? Grow up, take some responsibility for your actions and accept that you using you car does contribute towards the problems of congestion, polution, and the health of everyone who breathes in the traffic fumes. Not to mention the fact that the ONLY reason it takes ages to get anywhere in a car is because of all the other people in cars.

I completely agree with using cars for long journeys (7 miles+) where walking and cycling are not viable, but what I think is completely irresponsible is people using their cars to go on short journeys that could be comfortably walked or cycled and then complaining about the traffic. Excuse me but I don't see any tiered car tax levels for journey distance - I pay my car tax [as well as petrol tax] and thus I deserve to be able to drive my car without people like you critising me because I have 'only' one person in my car.

It's the governments fault that traffic is so bad. We can't create roads - only the government can do that. It's apologists like you that infest this car hating Labour government who have ruined our roads for the current road using generation.

there is more chance of being invaded by the cubans, than the
everyday joe givin up his/her motor:loopy:
hears a couple of suggestions for ulot and the council to consider when the traffic problem gets so bad it will come to complete standstill i mean leaving work at 5 and at 7 realising you have to go and get an hotel room because youve travelled 500 yards in 2 hours.no chance of gettin home before midnite
[dont laughit will happen]every body listening .

:D BUS LANES DO NOT WORK IN SHEFFIELD.unless you think the cubans are going to invade:confused: if you want bus
lanes then put up with the traffic nightmare,dont:rant: moan

TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON ROUNDABOUTS why?:loopy: oh sorry
i forgot there for the motorist who CANT drive silly me how stupid its so obvious:loopy:

bus lanes are a nightmare, there's nothing more frustrating than an empty lane when you're stuck in a queue and even more so if you pinch a few yards and get a fine(thats me once!) but it's law unfortunately Traffic lights on a roundabout do actually move things on ie; what happens on parksquare at rush hour if the lights are down? It's chaos, everyman for himself and total agitation. car sharing has to be an option to reduce traffic instead of total congestion

All it takes is a car to break down on Sheaf Street or similar and traffic congestion goes through the roof. All the roadworks going on at the same time can't be helping matters.

My commute is Broomhill to Arena Roundabout and this used to take 20-25 minutes. Taking the exact same route each day, setting off at the same time, it can take anything between 20 minutes and 40 minutes, seemingly at random.

That must be what all the fuss is about. It certainly annoys me. If I worked in the city centre (which I did until recently), then walking it would be. Trouble with Lower Don Valley is that once you're on to the Wicker, its plain sailing. I sometimes spend half and hour just getting the mile and a half to the Wicker end of town, then 5 minutes later I've covered the next 3.5 miles!

I've developed a mulititude of short cuts and alternative routes, which I swtich between depending on how heavy the traffic is, but there are only so many ways to go.

I used to be dead against trying to turn right from Rutland Road into Burton Road as there is no filter: however this is now turning out to be the quickest way in. I also tend to use the backstreets of Burngreave/Pye Bank to get across to Carlisile Street, even though they have speedbumps all the way down, at least you're moving.

The worst day of all had to be the first week of October. I had never seen traffic like it.

To the chap who was complaining about bus routes. Just remember it's perfectly OK to use them outside of posted hours (e.g. before 7:30am) if you're an early starter. They're great for left-turns but don't expect anyone to let you in for other movements.

bus lanes dont work and never will work in 2005 at peak times i.e going to work/school leaving work/school the situation can and will only get worse. :(
what has to happen to remedy the traffic NIGHTMARE in our luvley city/town is not brain surgery[i am a brain surgeon] i did my best work with warnock[behave sam::heyhey ]
SIMPLE at certain times of the day BAN THE CAR or BAN THE BUS if sheffielders want the roads to be flowing freely no road rage e.t.c:rant: no massive gettin worse tailbacks/queues, motors goin through ratruns at 60 mph you have to either ban the car or ban the bus you cant have both. if like me you dont care and you know these suggestions only get laughed at:hihi: the SONG REMAINS THE SAME nothing will change see you on the beach:thumbsup:

Originally posted by no55sammy1
bus lanes dont work and never will work in 2005 at peak times i.e going to work/school leaving work/school the situation can and will only get worse. :(
what has to happen to remedy the traffic NIGHTMARE in our luvley city/town is not brain surgery[i am a brain surgeon] i did my best work with warnock[behave sam::heyhey ]
SIMPLE at certain times of the day BAN THE CAR or BAN THE BUS if sheffielders want the roads to be flowing freely no road rage e.t.c:rant: no massive gettin worse tailbacks/queues, motors goin through ratruns at 60 mph you have to either ban the car or ban the bus you cant have both. if like me you dont care and you know these suggestions only get laughed at:hihi: the SONG REMAINS THE SAME nothing will change see you on the beach:thumbsup:

:loopy:

What's a bus lane for? To allow the buses to move more quickly than the cars, and to allow them to stop to pick up or drop off passengers without holding up cars following behind. So yes, they do work.

correct they do work :clap: go tell that to the thousands of cars,trucks,vans at 430 tomorra suppose the famouse BENDI BUS worked ah sheffield airport another succes story just like bus lanes:P

o forgot one more example ,how things work like the very succesful BUS LANES. The no smokin policy[i do not smoke never have] in public houses who came up with that one GENIUS. dur :banana:

Originally posted by Vini
Apart from the students, who wouldnt be up and about until after the evening rush hour, why is this?[/B]

Thanks for stereotyping me and many other hard working students.

Originally posted by AndrewC
Thanks for stereotyping me and many other hard working students. They are just jelous that they can't go uni - take no notice of them, or better yet, mock them back.

Yeah but knowing our uni system they probably earn more than i ever will :'(

Where was the traffic this evening? A journey that normally takes me 30 mins on the way home took about 10 today. Surely the school traffic can't account for all of that?

Congrats - it took me more than an hour to get from Shalesmoor, up past the University and down London Road!!!!!

Originally posted by Herbaliser
Where was the traffic this evening? A journey that normally takes me 30 mins on the way home took about 10 today. Surely the school traffic can't account for all of that? I noticed the same, dead all the way, excellent!

School traffic, or the lack of, makes a huge impact on the morning traffic. Maybe this area of traffic should be addressed more? How about a yellow bus scheme like in America?

It took the tram 30 mins to get from the cathedral to the University last night at 5pm. West street was jammed.


What's happening ???

What was with the traffic last night?! I left work at around 5pm and it was bumper to bumper and nothing was moving. It took me over 1 hour to get out near Meadowhall from Charter Row and my total journey time home was a very short 1 hour and 45 minutes.

I left work at 3 yesterday....traffic was solid on the ring road....rumour has it, all the OAP's are out in force, panic buying tinned peas and custard powder just in case bird flu strikes...Bless !! :D

Traffic was murder going up to Park Hill r-bout from Penistone road tonight. Thankfully I was just watching this from my bedroom window - glad I was not stuck in it!

Traffic was bumper to bumper heading out of the city today at about 11:00 down ecclesall road..

Re: Why do we need traffic lights on roundabouts 'bad drivers'


The reason is at big roundabouts there is often a constant flow of traffic getting onto the road preferentially. This results in major jams trying to get on from certain directions. By having traffic lights you help prevent this. There are also in sheffield traffic lights that just stop cars say 100 yards from the roundabout which helps motorists get onto the roundabout from other directions.

The alternative is to have to cut some one up on the roundabout. Lights are not always needed but are sometimes essential.

need to go over to italy or paris thats were you lot will see PROPER DRIVERS :clap: little bump here a little bump there no lights on roundabouts over there my friends. bump the car infront in sheffield [im talkin about no body hurt no damage to the car] and you get to loser drivers call there insurance companys[INSURANCE COMPANYS ARE TODAYS HIGHYWAYMEN WITHOUT THE MASKS] hold up the traffic even more claim,claim claim, it was his fault no it was his fault ner ner ner see you in court looosers, puttin on my tin cap but i will leave you with this incident that i witnessed yesterday.
around 430 440 the traffic was totally backed up from the big roundabout at the bottom of eccy road right up to the charter square roundabout then a couple of numpties:cool: blocked of the yellow box so the traffic was blocking up the road towards yates bar,past the fire station[cant wait for xmas traffic] and it was also tailing back down the other side of the carriegway to the eccy road roundabout were it started gridlock is on the horizon my friends all for the sake of BUSLANES. next time im in sheffield around that time im makin wilson my chauffeur drive cant afford to scratch the new roller, be happy :P