I know some of you will remember me posting recently to say it was great and everything runs smoothly ......well I admit it I was wrong ....so so wrong!!!

On saturday my wife and I were heading for Pyramid carpets at Woodseats. It took us 40 minutes from Coal Aston to Woodseats only to find I'd forgotten my wallet so we had to go home again. This morning at 8:20 I hit the first traffic at the pelican crossing by the chip shop/plumbing shop at M.head and had to shoot along the back streets to make it to work in time.

The bus gate by Morrisons has made a bad situation worse, more often than not both lights are on red or the bus gate on green and the other traffic light on red with no sign of a bus!! I thought the bus gates were operated by a sensor in the bus? On saturday I watched cars using the bus gate and the light was changing for them so it must be worked on a timer as a little old lady in a Nissan Micra and a BMW 4 wheeler got through with no problems (until all the car drivers in the correct lane decided not to let them in) :hihi:

Does anyone have a clue how these should operate or who I can complain to? Should we start an SF petition? or am I just being a paranoid old duffer?

Totally agree!
I don't think there can be any sensors to detect buses, or they are not working properly - often my bus can sit at a red light for several minutes. I don't think there's any chance of going back to the old road layout now, the best we can hope for is that they 'tinker' with the timings of the lights to improve traffic flow.

Typical Sheffield Council mentality - lets make a bad situation worse by reducing traffic flow by narrowing the road - and the bus gate makes it worse....

did have to laugh the other week when it first opened tho - a taxi driver didnt realise and strayed into it - only to have to wait for yonks at the red light

:hihi:

they work like many traffic lights with a radar type sensor on the traffic light pointed on the bus lane bit so whatever enters the beam will cause the light to change

The lights at, bus gate on Wester Bank are controlled by a sensor but not this one at Meadowhead, I was in a taxi this afternoon and went through it fine without any sensor.

I think the timing and priority needs looking at. Anyone know who to complain to?

The whole point of these bus lanes and gates is simply to bully the driver into believing that tomorrow he or she will abandon the car (whilst still paying for it and its road tax and insurance to sit in the garage) for a bus service which is at best, expensive and at worst, unreliable.

It never ceases to amaze me that in this day and age, where one can correspond with someone across the other side of the globe via email and telephone, and in a seriously digital age, we cannot programme a set of traffic lights that benefits traffic, that is, buses, cars and all other traffic.

But that's just it! They CAN be programmed, only our anti-car council, totally forgetting their commitment to green and environmental issues for a moment, prefer it that you and I sit and stew in that traffic (churning out toxins) whilst 'public transport' whistles by (only we know that more often than not the buses get caught up in the council created jams anyway).

Moreover, that phrase 'public transport' is quite a misnomer. Many (if not all) the bus operators are private companies and in that, they differ little from Mr and Mrs Average Motorist in that they contribute little other than their usual road and council taxes towards the upkeep of our road network. Therefore, with no additional revenue contributed toward these bus lanes, the question is shoud these private businesses benefit over the motorist in having access to these bus lanes?

Council: We all want to get there. We all want to get there as soon as we can. We shall not use such a shoddy and incredibly expensive bus service. Wake up and smell the coffee councillors because your masterplan simply isn't working.

I have just come down Chesterfield road just now.

I was stopped at the Morrisons traffic lights when a bus pulls up next to me. I looked down the hill and notice the bus lane was red, and car lane green. As the Morrisons lights turned green, and we pulled off, the car lights at the bus gate turned red. Ahh - I thought - so there is some sort of sensor. So, as I reached the bus gate, both sets of lights are red. The bus catches up with me, and low and behold, the car lights turn green again leaving the bus standing. Despite stopping at the Abbey Lane lights, I did not see that bus again in my mirrors.

Now that's logic for you :loopy:

All I'd like to add to this thread is that as a motorist who uses this route at least twice daily, I completely 100% agree with all of the comments posted so far (and also with those on similar threads about it in the past)

To think of the WEEKS (months?!?) that this shoddy new "improvement" was standing there unfinished - only for the completed project to end up being such a complete and utter farce.

Good job we're not all paying high council tax rates to pay for these embarassing traffic-flow "upgrades"...

Oh, hold on a minute - we are :x

I propose a petition for the renaming of the council's Street Force division (who I'm assuming are resposible?)

How about Street Farce?

:x

Ahh another council scheme to slow the traffic of sheffield even more! Well 10 out of 10 this time guys, it's worked, what was a congested route is now grid locked (wonder how many times the councillors / officers that approved / designed the schemes use this stretch of road?).
Come on councillors that use the forum, print the thread & take it in to work, show these narrow minded tree hugging car haters what they are doing to our fair city, ie killing it!!!!!

At last I've found the rest of you who sit fuming (emotionally and mechanically) every day. Meersbrook - I too use the route twice a day and twice a day are subjected to the inconvenience this nonsensical system causes. Add to this the fact that all alternative routes (assuming you try W.seats then decide to change route) have a variety of different sized/shaped speed bumps on them and the annoyance of the local residents having their street turned into a dangerous slalom course as cars weave in and out of their parked vehicles and courtesy gates (the ones where only one car at a time can thunder over the speed bumps? somebody please let us know what they're called) trying to get to their destination on time it really is a dangerous world out there ....

courtesy gates (the ones where only one car at a time can thunder over the speed bumps? somebody please let us know what they're called)

I think the official term is "Pain in the arse". :rant:

... and another thing my wife starts work at 7am and finishes at 7:30pm there is no change to the way these gates seem to slow down traffic unecessarily. There is also no way she could use public transport as its too expensive and too unreliable and there is no way I'm leaving her to find her own way to work via foot (from home to bus stop/bus stop to work) as its too dangerous

Get acopy of the Sheffield Development Framework newsletter, It makes frightening reading. Looks like the council have lost it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:loopy: :loopy:

Get acopy of the Sheffield Development Framework newsletter, It makes frightening reading. Looks like the council have lost it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:loopy: :loopy:

This can be downloaded as a PDF document from here...scroll right down to the bottom of the page to see the link :rolleyes:

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/planning-and-city-development/planning-documents/sdf/consultation-on-the-sdf

The consultation process ends on 10th. April - a bit surprised it's not the 1st. :hihi:

Get acopy of the Sheffield Development Framework newsletter, It makes frightening reading. Looks like the council have lost it again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:loopy: :loopy:

"Lost it" ????

Last I heard, they never "had it" to lose :?

*sigh!*

Well I think its great that Sheffield council are doing what they can to solve the traffic problem and get us all back on public transport.

In fact, they're doing such a good job, that I have had to go out and by a bigger/ newer car, so my waiting in the traffic is so much more comfortable. Oh, and I guess that its pumping more fumes out too, but I'm alright with the air con on.

When will they learn - public transport needs sorting before they start making motorists lives more difficult.

Sheffield council - planning for the future - NOT!!!!!

I caught a bus the other week instead of the car, my bus pulled up to the junction... and we were sat there for ages! Isn't there a bus stop in the lane? So surely if it sensed a bus approaching, and it was pulled at the bus stop - it'd be a waste of time?

Small update on this:

As of yesterday evening approx. 5.30pm, the "red" light on the far left side (i.e. the one that bus drivers need to watch out for) is broken (amber and green working fine)

Needless to say this will probably lead to yet more confusion - if that's possible.

I guess this latest setback begs the question:

"How many Sheffield City Council Planners does it take to change a light bulb?"

(answers on a post card to Howden House please.. LOL!)

John.

That would depend on what time they set off to go to Homebase on Chesterfield Road, and how long they get stuck in traffic.

I guess this latest setback begs the question:

"How many Sheffield City Council Planners does it take to change a light bulb?"

(answers on a post card to Howden House please.. LOL!)

John.

20 !

1 to change the bulb, the other 19 to pass a motion and draw up the development plans... :rolleyes:

Came down Meadowhead this morning as usual (today it was 8:20) sailed through with no problem, no standing traffic, all lights on green!!! WTF is going on? there is no consistency with this problem which is probably why I compared it to sliced bread when it first went live. Sod's Law says today is probably the day when the planners came out to assess its effectiveness

Came down Meadowhead this morning as usual (today it was 8:20) sailed through with no problem, no standing traffic, all lights on green!!! WTF is going on? there is no consistency with this problem which is probably why I compared it to sliced bread when it first went live. Sod's Law says today is probably the day when the planners came out to assess its effectiveness

The Council have put forward the idea of ALL lights being green from now on. The state of the art Meadowhead Bus Gate is a pilot project for this concept.

The use of 3 colours (Red ["Stop"], Amber and Green ["Go"]) has been deemed confusing and is certainly old fashioned.

Councillor Wilson recently commented:

"Here at Sheffield City Council HQ, we are firm believers in putting Sheffield road users first. With this aim in mind, we are launching the "GO GO GO! MasterPlan" across the entire city. Whereas backward cities such as Nottingham and Leeds continually stay rooted in the past with old fashioned 3 colour lights, Sheffield is proud to the very FIRST (and to date only) major European City to install this exciting new system.."

(Lib Dem Coucillor Scriven disagreed, but couldn't remember why)

update: came through at 06:45 this morning. Bus lane on red, car lane on green, motorist at front slowed down and almost stopped! It's not just the lights which are at fault IMHO.

Agreed. I saw a Rover whizz right the way down the bus lane and through the "gate" on the way home last night (approx. 4pm)

Hard to tell if he/she simply didn't "get" what was going on, but there was a queue of cars in the proper lane, even though the main lane lights were at green!

(so yes, in addition to whizzing down the bus lane, the Rover in question went through the "gate" whilst the lights were at red!)

Completely and utterly ridiculous system. End of :|

I agree, it so god damn pointless!

They've split the lane into 2 lanes so theres a dedicated bus lane, this is light controlled so whilst 20 or so car are sat at a red light, it'll let a bus through! :rant:

What a waste of time and money!

-x-

Is the bus lane still part time? If it is, drivers can just use whichever lane has the green light :lol:

Good point ;-) ... though I think the Rover I mentioned was in it after 4pm in this instance.

I think the bus drivers are beginning to get used to how bad the bus gate is - last night I got the 53 into town and as the bus traffic lights were still on red when the bus got to the gate, it simply swerved into the car lane and went through the green light on that side!

Is the bus lane still part time? :
The section below Morrisons isn't any more.

My mum lives on that stretch of MH, where they've put the new parking lane, but when I visit, it means I either have to sit behind all the other traffic queueing down the hill, or illegally go down the now permanent section of bus lane, just so I can park up.

Of course, I always seems to get behind some r sole that's trying to force their way down the inside and in to the traffic, or worse, drivers trying to block me because they think I'm trying to sneak down the inside of them :mad:

These things are right outside my house and we have seen so many incidents, its a joke.

People don't know which lane to use and end up reversing out of the bus lane to get into the right one. The timings seem to be all over the place.

'Cos they have narrowed the road, I can't get out of my drive anymore.

We have seen as many as ten 'shirts' at the same time looking at this, scratching their heads.

We finally got someone, can't remember his name now, to come and talk to us. He agreed it was stupid, but the council was determined to press ahead anyway!:loopy:

Update!

There is a public meeting at Abbey Lane Primary School, Abbey Lane, S8 0BN, 6.30 to 8.30 Wednesday 22nd March.

If you have any questions, the guy to contact is.....

Dave Aspinall
South Area Co-ordinator
Sheffield City Council
Freepost NEA 5527
Town Hall
Sheffield
S1 2ZZ

email: dave.aspinall@sheffield.gov.uk

I would scan and post a copy of the leaflet that came through my letter box, but it expressly says on it

'unauthorised reproduction of this leaflet is prohibited'

so I can't.

Do you recon they don't want many people turning up at this meeting:hihi:

Totally agree!
I don't think there can be any sensors to detect buses, or they are not working properly - often my bus can sit at a red light for several minutes. I don't think there's any chance of going back to the old road layout now, the best we can hope for is that they 'tinker' with the timings of the lights to improve traffic flow.

The new improved bus gate was suppose to make travelling by bus through Woodseats a lot better, in a way it has, instead of 20 mins stuck in Woodseats is now 10-15 mins Yippee, Hope your reading this Cllr Jan Wilson, Were the Bus Drivers asked of their views on the Woodseats Problem: Nope:rant:

I hadnt noticed the bit by exmrbd when I put my last bit on. The bit about unautherised copying is because of an incident somewhere else when a leaflet was changed I understand

Update!

There is a public meeting at Abbey Lane Primary School, Abbey Lane, S8 0BN, 6.30 to 8.30 Wednesday 22nd March.

:

Is this meeting solely about the traffic issues? Does it say who from the Council will be attending? Is there an agenda you can give us a quick outline of? I'm already at a meeting tonight, and much as I'd like to add my voice to the howls of dissension about these traffic schemes...I don't want to go to another meeting unnecessarily.
Thanks!

came through this for the first time on saturday, really dont get it at all:loopy:

Is this meeting solely about the traffic issues? Does it say who from the Council will be attending? Is there an agenda you can give us a quick outline of? I'm already at a meeting tonight, and much as I'd like to add my voice to the howls of dissension about these traffic schemes...I don't want to go to another meeting unnecessarily.
Thanks!

The meeting is about quote 'Woodseats/Meadowhead Traffic Scheme'

Quote

'There will be a short presentation on the current scheme followed by an opportunity to feedback your views to council represenatives'

And it's tonite, Wed 22nd March 2006

Thanks Gabble, I might try and make that, tho I'm all meetinged out:rolleyes:

It's hard to ignore the opportunity to rant - sorry, add my reasoned views to others'.

Did anyone go to the meeting about this on Wed night and can tell us what was said? Did they agree to scrap it? :)

Worked late, so couldn't make it. I hope someone did...

I was travelling through at about 6:30am one morning this week and as I was coming up the hill I watched a bus reverse out of the bus lane/gate and then go through the 'car' lane. They must of been sick of waiting at a red light when the other was on green.

I bet it's fun and games in the morning rush hour!

I couldn't make it, but my neighbour did. So the following is secondhand but probably accurate.

Apparently there was lots said about how it has turned lots of other roads into 'rat runs' and the people that live on those roads were very angry.

Also the Church goers at the Catholic Church were complaining that they can't park on a Sunday morning anymore.

They want the grass verges on the southbound side of Meadowhead ripped up for parking!

We, and I mean the neighbours, asked for trees to be planted, so it makes the area a bit more pretty!

They will not widen the road or take away the grass verges as that's where all the main services to the area are i.e. water, gas, telephone lines etc are. Which is good news for me, given that I now have a traffic island and two sets of traffic lights outside my house.

They are still working on light timings.

But apparently it has already improved the air quality in Woodseats. :rolleyes:

I've lived at the top of Meadowhead (near the shops) for 21 years. I have travelled so many times on this route, by different methods of transport.
What they have done with the bus gate is simply ridiculous - the road was always going to be congested anyway as it provides a gateway via Woodseats into the city centre. The best bit was the time it took for them to start and finish it...I reckon it was about 7 or 8 months! They just seemed to be working hard on it for a few weeks then just abandon it, leaving numerous road signs and traffic cones in the centre of the road with a lane diversion which almost caused accidents as there was no clear indication of a lane switch!
I work on Hutcliffe Wood Road. If I set off at 8.40am and take the route down Meadowhead and turn left onto Abbey Lane (with the Spar on the left and the Abbey pub on the right), I arrive at work on the dot 9.00am, a journey time of 20 minutes. However, if I leave my house at 8.45am, take the first left (past Plumco), take the next right turn then left, then go right at the end of that road, it takes me all the way down bocking lane, then straight on at the roundabout brings me onto Hutcliffe Wood Road. Journey ends 8.50am, a total of 5 minutes. I used to go down Woodseats thinking that it would be quicker than Bocking Lane - oh how wrong I was.

This is exactly what the residents on Bocking Lane were complaining about!;)

And I do this too to get into town, even though I live a minute from The Abbey pub. I drive away from Woodseats and down Bocking Lane. Sad but true.

Now this is getting silly and proves that this scheme is a disaster.

Some busses, predominantly First, are coming down Meadowhead and going through whichever lights are green, i.e. if the bus lane is on red, they go through the car lane!

So what's the point.

I saw one bus stopped at red the other day and another just leapfrogged it in the car lane!

I'm resurrecting this because nothing much seems to have changed yet.

The other day we came down from Meadowhead; both sets of lights at the bus gate were on red. We sat there for a bit. A bus eventually approached. We both sat there a bit longer. I was expecting the bus lane light to go green, but no! the car lane light went green and off I went, leaving the bus standing there. This is exactly what was described on the first page of this thread - just what is it meant to achieve except holding up all the traffic?

On the other hand, yesterday I stood by the University car park watching the bus gate there. Watching in fact a queue of about half a dozen taxis build up in the bus lane. Unable to trigger the lights, eventually they opted to just ignore the red light and go anyway, one narrowly avoiding another vehicle as it swerved into the right hand lane.

Then I walked up towards Broomhill, past the enormous queue of traffic in the single lane available to them, stretching up to just past Weston Park hospital. Three 51 buses came down the bus lane, nose to tail, each with about half a dozen people on.

When will someone in the council cotton on to the fact that these things are not really working?

When will someone in the council cotton on to the fact that these things are not really working?

I'd estimate at about 5 past Eternity going on how bull-headed the Street Farce "planners" seem to be on such feedback... <sigh>