Now that schools have broken up for Easter how are you all finding the roads? Is it as busy, or is it free 'n' easy?

I use the tram :D

I also work in Meadowhall and it was busy today compared with the same time last week, i'd imagine traffic to be worse.

The traffic always seems lighter in the school hols on my route into work.

I thought maybe parents might take time off to look after their kids during this time, My day starts before the school rush, so I cant say that the lack of 'mums in SUVs' causes it.

It's much lighter in the area around Endcliffe/Broomhill.
There are several factors involved methinks:
1) Parents aren't clogging the roads taking their offspring to school
(When I was at school, lads who had lifts from parents were referred to as being p**fs and were few and far between, whereas today I suspect there is status attached to being chauffeured around, depending on the vehicle involved)
2) I notice some schoolkids take their own cars to school so they arern't on the roads either.
3) Teachers and support staff aren't on the roads
4) Many parents take a holiday at the same time as their kids so they aren't driving to their own places of work either.

Parents have to be on holiday with their kids cos of the new law that they get fined if they take their kids on holiday during term time.

Trouble with that is that during term time when it's out of season, holidays are usually cheaper, but when everybody's off in the summer etc the holiday companies bump the prices up accordingly.

Just one vaguely related question..

(lol @ the person who pointed out that in days gone by, being dropped off by one's parents was an embarassing affair, to be met with ridicule from one's peers)

Whatever happened to school buses? I didn't grow up in Sheffield, but when I were but a lad, bus companies were contracted to run school-only services. The bus-pass was valid ONLY on the relevant service, and regular commuters could not use the service.

Now, if I take the car to work, I am held up by school-run traffic, and if I take the bus, from my change of bus in town, the ratio of schoolkids:adults is about 13:1 standing room only.

Then people wonder why I don't use public transport??!!

Originally posted by Squiggs
Whatever happened to school buses?
Whatever happened to WALKING to school? :loopy:

Did an AA route planner from my house to my school...

From: S13 ***,Sheffield
To: S11 9RT,Sheffield

Total Distance: 6.7 miles
Total Time: 0 hr 17 min

17 minutes?! Yeah right, stick an hour on and that'll be about right when I'm travelling there in a morning...

Walk??? I think not!

Perfectly plausible to ride your cycle tho' Its not far.

Originally posted by Squiggs


Whatever happened to school buses? I didn't grow up in Sheffield, but when I were but a lad, bus companies were contracted to run school-only services. The bus-pass was valid ONLY on the relevant service, and regular commuters could not use the service.



I'm guessing that to qualify for a (free?) bus pass you need to live a certain distance away from the school - it used to be 4 miles when I was a kid.

Perfectly plausible to ride your cycle tho' Its not far.

1. I don't own one
2. I wouldn't be seen dead on one
3. Where do you expect me to put my folders/books/handbag
4. Park square roundabout on a cycle... I wouldn't last 5 seconds!

I'm guessing that to qualify for a (free?) bus pass you need to live a certain distance away from the school - it used to be 4 miles when I was a kid.

Yeah, I have looked into that as its quite dear getting on the bus - especially if you forget your pass! They only give zero fare passes to families on Income Support, which we're not... We receive working family tax credits and although we receive more money on this scheme than we would on the income support, I still don't qualify for one.

You're the exception that proves the rule Caprice. Most kids live well within walking distance of their school. I walked about 2.5 miles there and back daily, often over fields (God I sound old)

Yeah....parents take their kids to school in their people carriers rather than letting them walk or cycle because the roads are so dangerous and busy in the mornings these days with.....erm......parents taking their kids to school in their people carriers rather than letting them walk or cycle......etc

You're the exception that proves the rule Caprice. Most kids live well within walking distance of their school. I walked about 2.5 miles there and back daily, often over fields (God I sound old)

Aww I used to walk over the fields to my old school but I always turned up loppy so I walked the long way round lol!

No wonder kids are getting fatter, they don't do anything except get a lift to school, do bugger all excercise, go home for a big greasy meal and then play on the computer!

This is going off topic..

Originally posted by caprice
1. I don't own one
2. I wouldn't be seen dead on one
3. Where do you expect me to put my folders/books/handbag
4. Park square roundabout on a cycle... I wouldn't last 5 seconds!


2. I wouldn't be seen dead on one Why not?
3. Where do you expect me to put my folders/books/handbag In a backpack like everyone else, or some panniers.
4. Park Square roundabout on a cycle...I wouldn't last 5 seconds! You don't have to go on the roundabout it is avoidable

I used to ride 5miles to College and back.

I also used to ride 12 miles to University and back.

Certainly kept me fit :)

2. I wouldn't be seen dead on one Why not?

Because I'm not a bikey sort of person... I'm a high heeled well dolled up sort of person... Usually... hehe

3. Where do you expect me to put my folders/books/handbag In a backpack like everyone else, or some panniers.

Backpack and heels - call the fashion police?! :o :o

4. Park Square roundabout on a cycle...I wouldn't last 5 seconds! You don't have to go on the roundabout it is avoidable

Thats right, it is... But why are we even having this discussion - I wouldn't be seen on a bike - period!

Originally posted by caprice
I wouldn't be seen on a bike - period!

Don't complain about the time it takes on public transport then. If you do change your mind about bikes I have a lady's bike free to a good home.

This isn't a criticism, just an opportunity to get in a free plug for my bike.;)

Eccalsall Rd is a breeze with there being no extra traffic.I do a delivery round,the same route every morning and I'm getting home half an hour earlier.......

Id just like to point out that you dont need to be on income support for a free bus pass for school.

We've never claimed income support or any other benefit and my son has had a free bus pass since he started school hes now in y9 to qualify for one you have to live a certain distance from school .

The distance apparently has now been lowered my youngest goes to the same primary school that my eldest went to and he cant have a pass .

We still live in the same house catch the same bus etc but apparently its not as far as it was 3 yrs ago when my eldest left primary school!!!!!

Thats sheffield council for you !!

Id just like to point out that you dont need to be on income support for a free bus pass for school.

Thats odd, I travel nearly 7 miles yet I'm not entitled to one... The woman who dealt with the call wanted to know if we received Income support, I said we don't, so she said I can't have one! Aparently its due to cut backs... Hmm!

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Perfectly plausible to ride your cycle tho' Its not far.

On paper its not far, but what about the hills in Sheffield ?
this is what planners of cycle lanes in sheffield fail to appreciate and wonder why people dont migrate to pedal power in the masses.

As has been said before, it's about time that they started providing supervised school buses for all pupils like they do in the US.

Would a) cut down on traffic, b) reduce pollution, c) be safer for the pupils.

Unlikely to happen because d) it costs money. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Ravenger
As has been said before, it's about time that they started providing supervised school buses for all pupils like they do in the US.

Would a) cut down on traffic, b) reduce pollution, c) be safer for the pupils.

Unlikely to happen because d) it costs money. :rolleyes:

Re school buses..

this would work, but only if all the kids in the one area attended the same school, which doesn't always happen. you can have six kids, in six adjacent houses on the same street, and have six different schools attended...

I lived in arbourthorne, but attended High Storrs, at Ringinglow Road.

We tried to get me transferred to Ashleigh, which was at the top of our road, but I was halfway through the first year of my O'levels, and the school refused to admit me, saying that it would be too disruptive to my studies to transfer me. So, for the last year-and-a-half of my studies, I travelled an hour and a half, and 2 buses, each way every school day.

I can't believe that he council are being so penny pinching as to deny the travelling schoolkids a pass if they aren't on IS. that's awful! I got a bus pass due to the distance I had to travel.

PT