The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!

you rarely get any queues there tho, so it's probably about right.

I've never counted the seconds but the ones on Hillsborough corner (coming from KFC) are pretty quick. There are always massive tailbacks from there too.

From a pedestrian point of view, the new signals along Eyre Street where the green man isn't across the road, it's next to you. No-one knows where to look. I know these puffin crossings are supposed to be the way forward, but apparently they're so unpopular that in Birmingham they are being scrapped altogether!

The ones for the junction to the left of the sweetshop (Bus gate) are not good either - also around 4 seconds!! Not good for buses - or for those who use it when late:hihi:

From a pedestrian point of view, the new signals along Eyre Street where the green man isn't across the road, it's next to you. No-one knows where to look. I know these puffin crossings are supposed to be the way forward, but apparently they're so unpopular that in Birmingham they are being scrapped altogether!

I agree. Everyone is used to looking across the road for the sign, but come to think of it, if you have to look to your right for the sign you are looking at on coming traffic. So, maybe, from a saftey issue it's better:huh:

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!



And to make it worse for most of the four seconds there is already traffic blocking the roundabout so you can't go anywhere anyway! I've only made the mistake of using that junction once at rush hour - never again.

to be fair, you've got too much time on your hands if you are sat around counting the seconds that traffic lights take to change colour... may i suggest a hobby, perhaps a girl/boy friend?

perhaps a girl/boy friend?
I think you could get done for driving without due care and attention for this. :hihi:

In-car hobbies? Anyone know of any? :confused:

In-car hobbies? Anyone know of any? :confused:

You're lowering the tone again :hihi:

You're lowering the tone again :hihi:

Not at all........I'm a reformed character.:suspect:

Brummieade suggested a hobby whilst sat at traffic lights and I wondered what sort of hobby you could do for a few seconds at a time. :|

My friend brought up a very good point when the new crossings were introduced. How are blind people suppose to know when to cross?:huh:

He wrote a letter to the council to complain, but it turns out that the boxes have a wheel on the under side which spins when the green man is on, pretty clever I think.

Top of Deepwell Avenue at Halfway(near Morrisons)These lights change could change to red when there is a car trying to get out of the estate,but no they change to red when there is nothing trying to get out which causes tailbacks all the way past morrisons.They even do this this in the middle of the night :loopy:

My friend brought up a very good point when the new crossings were introduced. How are blind people suppose to know when to cross?:huh:

He wrote a letter to the council to complain, but it turns out that the boxes have a wheel on the under side which spins when the green man is on, pretty clever I think.

It is a good idea, but would you want to put your hand on it when it's likely to be caked in gum and who knows what else?

Not at all........I'm a reformed character.:suspect:

Brummieade suggested a hobby whilst sat at traffic lights and I wondered what sort of hobby you could do for a few seconds at a time. :|


i didnt mean anything disrespectful by the original post, but you have to admit, counting the seconds for a traffic light to turn from green to amber to red is pretty sad.... it'll be the next big craze for the trainspotters next!:hihi:

wheel that spins? Useful for one blind person, who can get to the post, and fin it not caked up.
Bring back beepers.

Hillsborough corner and the ones near Hillsborough Park/Park Hotel. Oh my eyes they are bad.

Can anyone tell me the point of the lights on Fulwood road where it joins Manchester Road. That is, as you go through Broomhill towards Fulwood.
They are completely redundant as far as I can see. What exactly am I giving way to? :loopy:

The lights at the Meadowhead/Abbey Lane junction are ridiculous. It worked perfectly fine before, now there are about 5 sets of lights within a 20 square yard area. :(

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!

Nothing wrong with the short time as it is only a small minor road meeting a roundabout with high traffic.

What i do have a problem with is the drivers at the front who use all the time to watch the lights turn to green, release the handbrake that doesn't need to be on, put the gear into 1st and then very carefully move off taking 10 seconds :rant:. Put your flamin foot down :D

Can anyone tell me the point of the lights on Fulwood road where it joins Manchester Road. That is, as you go through Broomhill towards Fulwood.
They are completely redundant as far as I can see. What exactly am I giving way to? :loopy:


me when I cross the road on the way to work.

I all the traffic lights that are situated on the exit of Roundabouts especially the ones at Brook Hill, it's so annoying because you're rushing off to get out of the way so cars get the clearance to go and then you have to slam your breaks on as someone wants to cross the road. Yeh pedestrians want to cross the road but i think it would be more sensible to place crossings a little further up to stop queues of cars blocking traffic that want to get onto the roundabout. Whoever thought of the idea didn't look to much into it IMO.

One of the worst sets of lights is coming out of the train station. You get about five seconds to go when it's on green, and have to wait seemingly 300 hours for a turn as it is. then when you do get a turn, all the oncoming traffic is blocking the road up anyway and you're stuck having to wait again!

As a pedestrian, the worst lights are the ones crossing Arundel Gate from near the Crucible to the steps by the Roxy. You have got an quarter of the way across and the green man goes off! How do old people go on?!

Those new pedestrian crossings are dreadful. Even if there is a 'wheel' on the box at the lights, how is the blind person supposed to know what sort of a crossing it is anyway, and therefore know to go to the box and fumble around for a ruddy textured wheel thing? The designers didn't think of that one, did they?

me when I cross the road on the way to work.
nomme is right. Pook the lights do not give way to you. If you were to press a button then fine - the lights should turn to red. But the lights go red in sequence corresponding to the lights going off FUlwood Rd to Manchester Road. You cant do a sharp turn coming down Manchester Road and turn up (i.e. away from town) Fulwood Road. The lights are absolutely pointless and do my head in. I'm glad someone else sees this to!



Other nonsensical lights - driving into town from Fulwood Road - pedestrian traffic light crossings every 200 yards from Broomhill to the Ring Road ROundabout at the Uni. Do we need them all?

The lights at the roundabout at the top of Corporation Street - if coming from Shalesmoor (road closed I know but you can divert and come out there) With the roadworks the lights run as they used to - so you can never get out more than one at a time.

Sheffield Council - why do you hate drivers.

Rant over. Phew!

Other nonsensical lights - driving into town from Fulwood Road - pedestrian traffic light crossings every 200 yards from Broomhill to the Ring Road ROundabout at the Uni. Do we need them all?



We must do, remembering that thread a few weeks ago about suicidal students crossing roads in Broomhill away from crossings! ;)

Traffic lights behind Bassets just across the river does any one know what they do as i see it 100% waste of money, they have to be seen to be belived.

Hope I explain this correctly, but if I remember rightly the Manchester Road/Fulwood Road lights have an "idiot phase" whereby if you want to carry on to Ranmoor from Broomhill you have to stop if you catch the wrong phase even though there's no possibility of traffic crossing you.
Some other cities manage to have junctions where the green "arrowed" lights referring to one lane only work just fine. I guess the average Sheff motorist is considered too stupid to realise that a red light for a right-turn lane and a green light for a straight-on lane don't mean green for all.

What i do have a problem with is the drivers at the front who use all the time to watch the lights turn to green, release the handbrake that doesn't need to be on, put the gear into 1st and then very carefully move off taking 10 seconds :rant:.

The ones you have to wake up with a toot on the horn are worse, - they usually panic and stall the engine :D

Traffic lights behind Bassets just across the river does any one know what they do as i see it 100% waste of money, they have to be seen to be belived.

cos its a narrow bridge to the other side where there is only a dirt track, but all the same, they are needed as you cant see whats coming round the bend over the bridge.

I propose the traffic lights at the top of (think it's) Gleadless Road where it crosses over Norton Road at Gleadless Townend (heading towards C/Peaks).

You wait, a tram comes along, the main road gets priority again, another tram comes along, priority back to the main road again, and so on.

You can be waiting for ages before the lights change in your favour.

I may have mentioned them before: the ones between Crystal Peaks bus station and Drakehouse. All four sides go separately. :gag:
A roundabout would do the job perfectly well.

cos its a narrow bridge to the other side where there is only a dirt track, but all the same, they are needed as you cant see whats coming round the bend over the bridge.
Yes but i think the dirt track is blocked off about 50metres down at the side of the river

The lights at the Meadowhead/Abbey Lane junction are ridiculous. It worked perfectly fine before, now there are about 5 sets of lights within a 20 square yard area. :(


Sheffield Council Traffic Lights

Buy one...........

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!Traffic light boy at the side of me here says: its to do with the priority of the traffic on that road and all the other roads that lead onto the roundabout and that it is all set up to precise times so that it keeps the traffic flowing on the whole.. he says it would also be hard to beat the timings of this one as he is pretty sure that this is the minimum green time specified by the highways agency.

From a pedestrian point of view, the new signals along Eyre Street where the green man isn't across the road, it's next to you. No-one knows where to look. I know these puffin crossings are supposed to be the way forward, but apparently they're so unpopular that in Birmingham they are being scrapped altogether!I am truly happy to hear that.
I want my pelicans back ! and I also want NOT infra red pedestrain crossings that actually turn green when i press the button.

One of the worst sets of lights is coming out of the train station. You get about five seconds to go when it's on green, and have to wait seemingly 300 hours for a turn as it is. then when you do get a turn, all the oncoming traffic is blocking the road up anyway and you're stuck having to wait again!

On that note the crossings from Shoreham Street to Leadmill Road (from the Food Stop shop across to the Censored Rock Bar - if you start crossing from the Leadmill Road side, the red man is back on by the time you've reached the middle of Shoreham Street.

Its fine crossing the other way, because the lights at the smaller crossing stay on the green man for longer, but they need to add another 5 seconds to the Shoreham Street crossing, because i'm a fast walker and cant make it in time, so god help a less mobile person :gag:

Shall I tell you the best? The ones on bramall lane crossing over to the forge just by the roundabout and bp garage. For a pedestrian, you press the button and like a couple of seconds later you can cross!

Oh and drivers, you have to stop at zebra crossings too grr. Winds me up just standing there while cars go past ignoring you

Yes, the amount of times i've nearly been ran over on Shoreham Street where it meets Charlotte Road and John Street is disgraceful.

I wish they'd make that junction a roundabout, that way traffic HAS to slow down - and they could make some safe crossing points as well.

That Bramall Lane crossing is a godsend to pedestrians and to motorists trying to turn onto Bramall Lane from any of the streets just before or after it :)

wheel that spins? Useful for one blind person, who can get to the post, and fin it not caked up.
Bring back beepers.

The bleepers cant be used in situations like dual carraigeways with a central or staggered island in which a blind person could hear the bleeper from the other side carriageway and confuse it for carriageway they're actually crossing and then step into traffic. Hence the devolpment of tactile units which consists of a slow rotating cone.

For those who have no clue what we are talking about:
tactile unit (http://www.microsense.co.uk/pdf/MTE002.pdf)

puffin pedestrian demand unit (http://www.microsense.co.uk/pdf/ppdu002.pdf)

I think the ones at the top area of ecclesall road near wards brewery seem to be very strange in their behaviour sometimes as I found were ones coming from attercliffe towards ponds forge the other day when I was returning to work from meadowhall

Sheffields most ridiculous traffic lights are the ones at the junction of Manchester Road and Fulwood Road as you drive towards Fulwood. They are the only lights I have ever come across that seem to have been installed by mistake. Either that or there was a pedestrian crossing there at one time which has now been moved, leaving only the redundant lights?

Can I suggest the one at the Superbowl at Wadsley Bridge!This has been closed now for a number of years but still has its own traffic light.
Sometimes thats on green and traffic on Halifax Road and Foxhill Road are all stood.:loopy:

There is a set of new traffic lights at the bottom of meadowhead and they are are the daftest thing I've seen. There are 2 lanes - one for the buses and 1 for the cars each lane has a set to help buses get through the only problem is when driving down the road cars just go through whichever are at green so it kind of defeats the reason they are there in the first place.

I am truly happy to hear that.
I want my pelicans back ! and I also want NOT infra red pedestrain crossings that actually turn green when i press the button.

At the meeting about the Meadowhead/Woodseats fiasco, my neighbour brought up a point about puffin crossings.

As the signal is at waist height, what happens if the crossing is busy?

Only the person close to the signal can see it. If they see a chance to cross and go, everyone will go with them if it's safe or not!

A good point.

Bring back the pelicans! We can all see them!

Unless, of course, if you are blind. I do appreciate the argument about bleepers.

Are you listening to a bleeper at the lights you are stood at?

Maybe if each crossing had it's own rythm at a complicated junction, the blind would know which was which at crossings they regularly use :huh:

How about the lights at the top of Warminster Road? They are completely pointless because there was never a problem at the junction before.

has anyone noticed that on ecceshall road, on the left hand side as you are walking up there is no pedestrian crossing ? so annoying !
Its quite a wide road aswell !

The small road just off penistone rd where Mr clutch is has a strange set of lights.When the lights turn green you obviously set off only to find that traffic coming down parkside rd also have a green light.Very strange.

Green means "go if your way is clear" though so it shouldn't be too confusing.

I have used the roundabout on the northbound side of Tinsley viaduct twice today and all the traffic lights were out, strange thing was traffic was moving better then when they are working!

I propose the traffic lights at the top of (think it's) Gleadless Road where it crosses over Norton Road at Gleadless Townend (heading towards C/Peaks).

Seconded Not the best junction to be at at rush hour times, lights only let 6 cars through at best of times, then just when you think you might get through this time, a tram appears and you have to sit through the whole cycle again, and if the grandad at the front doesn't get a move on you'll be there another 20 minutes

Sheffields most ridiculous traffic lights are the ones at the junction of Manchester Road and Fulwood Road as you drive towards Fulwood. They are the only lights I have ever come across that seem to have been installed by mistake. Either that or there was a pedestrian crossing there at one time which has now been moved, leaving only the redundant lights?

These annoy me every Friday evening on my drive home from Walkley. There seems absolutely no point to them whatsoever :rant:

You drive up to them. They turn red (sometimes) so you stop. The traffic at the side of you all drives off up Manchester Rd to the right. You sit there. Then they change to green and you carry on forward. Shouldn't let it, but it gets my goat EVERY time!:huh:

These annoy me every Friday evening on my drive home from Walkley. There seems absolutely no point to them whatsoever :rant:

You drive up to them. They turn red (sometimes) so you stop. The traffic at the side of you all drives off up Manchester Rd to the right. You sit there. Then they change to green and you carry on forward. Shouldn't let it, but it gets my goat EVERY time!:huh:

Isn't there still a pedestrian crossing there?

These annoy me every Friday evening on my drive home from Walkley. There seems absolutely no point to them whatsoever :rant:

The ridiculousness of these lights is 'explained' here:
http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1428359

I can't think of any other city that has as many traffic lights as Sheffield. I reckon someone on the council must be getting a backhander from the traffic light company!

And talking about the bleepers at pelican crossings reminded me of a time when my mate almost got killed. We used to work for BT and were all issued with pagers when they first came out. We were stood at the crossing at the back of the old Jessop hospital waiting to cross over to Butler's cafe for our brecko when his pager went off. He stepped out into the road thinking it was the "walk" signal and almost got squashed!

The traffic lights are one of the things ill always remember about Sheffield. The bloody things are everywhere, mostly in useless places, and people from all over the country remark on them.

You're right Jabberwocky, Sheffield does have a massive overburden of traffic lights.

The effect seems to be that loads of drivers run the red light when the lights turn from amber to red, more so than other places in the country I drive - mainly because they are so frustrated at being stopped by so many lights earlier in their journey. Thankfully there are few incidents as most people are aware of this and will not jump the initial green.

Why not take up cycling - that way you can ignore traffic lights altogether? ;)

You're right Jabberwocky, Sheffield does have a massive overburden of traffic lights.


...and is it my imagination or do junctions often run better when the lights are out?

Isn't there still a pedestrian crossing there?
No. The pelican is further down. These are just lights.

Thanks for the helpful link Meaks :thumbsup:

Why not take up cycling - that way you can ignore traffic lights altogether? ;)
Another of my pet hates!! That and the way they suddenly become pedestrians and cycle on the pavement when it suits them :rant:

*goes off to get gin*

As has already been nominated - the stupid pedestrian crossing traffic lights on the exit roads of the Universtiy roundabout. The tram goes under, fair enough, people need to cross the road - also fair enough, but they should put in bridges or something for the pedestrians or even run them under the tram tracks if possible. Coming off a roundabout usually accelerating and then potentially having to slam the brakes on is not sensible in my opinion for either the car or the person wanting to cross the road.

The ridiculousness of these lights is 'explained' here:
http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1428359The lighting sequence makes some sense now - I can see how folk waiting to cross would see traffic stop into town and wrongly assume traffic coming out would also stop, because that's how it works at most other crossings, resulting in emergency stops and raised middle fingers all round.

I don't see why a "REALLY don't cross until the green man shows" sign wouldn't have done, but I'm sure that the planners know best...

From a pedestrian point of view, the new signals along Eyre Street where the green man isn't across the road, it's next to you. No-one knows where to look. I know these puffin crossings are supposed to be the way forward, but apparently they're so unpopular that in Birmingham they are being scrapped altogether!
Also a bit useless when trying to teach a young child to look for the green man, he doesn't know where to look bless him.

wheel that spins? Useful for one blind person, who can get to the post, and fin it not caked up.
Bring back beepers.

perhaps a vibrating box?

I propose the traffic lights at the top of (think it's) Gleadless Road where it crosses over Norton Road at Gleadless Townend (heading towards C/Peaks).

You wait, a tram comes along, the main road gets priority again, another tram comes along, priority back to the main road again, and so on.

You can be waiting for ages before the lights change in your favour.
Some of the traffic lights that are working in conjunction with the trams are the worst.

There are some lights that just before a right turn onto city rd, you wait for ages, traffic coming in the oppisite direction is allowed to go, even though it passes over the same tram track as you, there is no reason at all why you have to wait, but wait you do.

you rarely get any queues there tho, so it's probably about right.

Sorry, I havn't read the entire thread, so this may have been mentioned already, but you DO get queues there, especially at rush times. I use this road frequently, and its very rare theres no queues. The other problem is the traffic flow from the Parkway, which generally tends to block the entrance to the roundabout, again not helping the q's, and causing bottlenecks. Once past this the traffic usually flows quite freely.

Sorry, I havn't read the entire thread, so this may have been mentioned already, but you DO get queues there, especially at rush times.

I agree - the other cause of queues on this road is the pointless bus lane that runs from top to bottom. :rolleyes:

I agree - the other cause of queues on this road is the pointless bus lane that runs from top to bottom. :rolleyes:
put the hand break on and go and buy some spice in granelli's, they've got all the old favourates:thumbsup:

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!


There are lights at the top of Gleadless Road where it goes across to White Lane, they are pretty quick too. If the tram appears as well the lights lose their turn at that junction as well

As has already been nominated - the stupid pedestrian crossing traffic lights on the exit roads of the Universtiy roundabout. The tram goes under, fair enough, people need to cross the road - also fair enough, but they should put in bridges or something for the pedestrians or even run them under the tram tracks if possible. Coming off a roundabout usually accelerating and then potentially having to slam the brakes on is not sensible in my opinion for either the car or the person wanting to cross the road.

if you have to slam on the brakes then i would suggest you are either going too fast or are so absent minded that you have forgotten that there are lights here.

if you have to slam on the brakes then i would suggest you are either going too fast or are so absent minded that you have forgotten that there are lights here.
Did I say me? No I didn't, please get your facts right before making incorrect assumptions. I've seen it countless times when I've been walking there, crossing the road and on the tram.

The lights on the bus lane just as you leave wicker arches comming into sheffield are a nightmare in fact the whole road is. It only allows one bus before changing and then the bus has to join the traffic rather than using the bus lane as there is never enough room.

Did I say me? No I didn't, please get your facts right before making incorrect assumptions. I've seen it countless times when I've been walking there, crossing the road and on the tram.

oops! sorry! (readjusts glasses on red face:))

Brook hill roundabout gets my vote...it appears to be a traffic light-controlled roundabout as you approach (which it should be in my opinion during rush hour), rather than ridiculously badly sited pedestrian crossings.

Drakehouse Retail Park/Crystal Peaks traffic lights and the ones at the top of Warminster Road (Graves Park) ... what the hell are they all about?

The worst traffic lights in Sheffield are at Heeley Bottom near the school. They stay on red for ages and ages and when they do turn green it's only for a few seconds.

Drives !!!! me mad.

oops! sorry! (readjusts glasses on red face:))
:D It's fine - I guessed you were having a bad day!

All that said - I still think that most drivers are (as a rule) correctly accelerating when they exit a roundabout (in clear traffic) and lights on the exit so close to the roundabout is a bit daft and unexpected. I've certainly feared for my life on a couple of occasions and the red light was in my favour as a pedestrain :(.

Surely one of the best sets are those at the junction at the bottom of Woodseats road turning from Abbeydale Road. You can never, ever turn right at them before they turn red, everyone just turns right at red otherwise you'd sit there forever and a day. Why don't they just make it a filter light?

:D It's fine - I guessed you were having a bad day!

All that said - I still think that most drivers are (as a rule) correctly accelerating when they exit a roundabout (in clear traffic) and lights on the exit so close to the roundabout is a bit daft and unexpected. I've certainly feared for my life on a couple of occasions and the red light was in my favour as a pedestrain :(.

hehe! i agree, i use the crossings at this roundabout every day and whichever one i use i aways make doubly sure there is no idiot speeding through! nearly got run over by some moron on a bike who came through on a red light, and he looked perplexed when i shouted "its on red idiot!"

hehe! i agree, i use the crossings at this roundabout every day and whichever one i use i laways make doubly sure there is no idiot speeding through! nearly got run over by some moron on a bike who came through on a red light, and he looked perplexed when i shouted "its on red idiot!"

Did you see my thread? -:

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=170013

Brook hill roundabout gets my vote...it appears to be a traffic light-controlled roundabout as you approach (which it should be in my opinion during rush hour), rather than ridiculously badly sited pedestrian crossings.

The traffic signals at the crossings on the approaches do control the traffic to some extent. The whole thing is controlled by the Council's Urban Traffic Control Computer.

The Council are well aware of the problems. It's an older installation which was put in years ago when traffic wasn't so heavy. In the longer term, it's being looked at for signal control on the roundabout, like Park Square.

The traffic signals at the crossings on the approaches do control the traffic to some extent. The whole thing is controlled by the Council's Urban Traffic Control Computer.

The Council are well aware of the problems. It's an older installation which was put in years ago when traffic wasn't so heavy. In the longer term, it's being looked at for signal control on the roundabout, like Park Square.

sorry, I realise there is some traffic control but currently the lights changing dont give you a clearway onto the roundabout.I have seen several drivers screech to a halt there as they have assumed if the lights are green they are clear to pull out onto the roundabout, as at park square.

perhaps a vibrating box?

Or, we could just copy what seems to have worked successfully for years in mainland Europe - have audible tickers at each crossing, the speed of the ticks indicates whether you can cross or not. They also have 'soft' areas of the pavement in many places to show that you are at a crossing - these seem much better than the bizarre, slippery concrete things that we seem to have had poorly installed at many (but not all) crossing points here.

You only have to watch a set of the puffin lights in action for one cycle to see that they don't work. People find them confusing as we have all been conditioned for decades to look across the road to see if it is safe to cross. Now you have to look for a small light down at the side somewhere - usually obscured by the people standing next to you and almost certainly obscured in the unlikely event of a blind person standing touching the spinning wheels.

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!

Gotta agree they're pretty bad but I know which one can easily beat them. When you come out of Tesco on Infirmary Road and nip down the little side road to get onto Penistone road at the side of the petrol station. I think they change green every hour. ;)

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!


The shop is Granelli's. Yes you are quite right, those lights are a disaster. They do change their timing later in the morning, but when they are needed the most, they just let three cars through. Well done Highways Dept, they gave me a headache for years. Most likely they clinched my decision to take early retirement.

you rarely get any queues there tho, so it's probably about right.


Sorry, but you go around 8.15 am. There's a queue right enough.

Gotta agree they're pretty bad but I know which one can easily beat them. When you come out of Tesco on Infirmary Road and nip down the little side road to get onto Penistone road at the side of the petrol station. I think they change green every hour. ;)

Use those regularly - they change about every two minutes - the queue must be all of half a dozen cars - unless there is a dope in the queue everbody can get through on one change.

The ones at the Top of Netherthorpe Road (where the Tram goes under the Roundabout)

Can't they build a Subway or a bridge for the students? people say underpasses are too dangerous, due to muggings...... NO I SAY its the pathetic law that dangerous, give the police the right to crack some skulls of Criminals with Trunchions and lets destroy the defeatist attitudes to crime.


Onto my origional point, how many crossing points do people need when getting off the Tram at the University?

The ones at the Top of Netherthorpe Road (where the Tram goes under the Roundabout)

Can't they build a Subway or a bridge for the students? people say underpasses are too dangerous, due to muggings...... NO I SAY its the pathetic law that dangerous, give the police the right to crack some skulls of Criminals with Trunchions and lets destroy the defeatist attitudes to crime.


Onto my origional point, how many crossing points do people need when getting off the Tram at the University?

I trust therefore you want your taxes raising to have a permanent police guard there. And how deep would a subway have to be to go under the tram underpass???

There is one too many sets of lights between the Brook Hill roundabout and the crossing with Glossop Road though.

So many points to reply to ... not enough time to cover them all now, so to be going on with:

I can't think of any other city that has as many traffic lights as Sheffield. I reckon someone on the council must be getting a backhander from the traffic light company!

From the most recent national survey of the number of signalled junctions and pedestrian crossings (excluding London, and some places like Bristol and Newcastle who did not report):

Manchester 1718
Birmingham 891
Glasgow 684
Nottinghamshire 611
Leicester 548
Leeds 439
Edinburgh 436
Sheffield 434
Liverpool 419

In population terms the urban areas of Leeds, Liverpool and Sheffield are roughly equivalent in size - they also have a roughly equivalent number of signals.

Definately Fulwood Rd./ Manchester Rd. Junction. No idea why they are there

Sorry, 'definitely'!

Definately Fulwood Rd./ Manchester Rd. Junction. No idea why they are there


Planner1 gave an explanation about this junction on another thread, I've copied it below:

"The sequence of the trafffic signals at Fulwood Road / Manchester Road was changed following a substantial number of complaints from pedestrians.

The signals always used to show green for traffic out of city on Fulwood Road unless a pedestrian pushed the button on the crossing across that road. Into city traffic on Fulwood Road had to stop to allow Manchester Road to run.

We received countless complaints that pedestrians were almost being run over by drivers running the red light out of city on Fulwood Road. We investigated this and even had a 12 hour count of drivers abusing the red light done. It showed only one instance. We were rather mystified, so carried out detailed on-site observations. What was happening was that pedestrians were seeing into city traffic stopping on Fulwod Road into city(to let Manchester Rd run), assuming that the green man was about to illuminate and setting off across the road, bringing them into frequent conflict with drivers heading out of city quite legitimately. We witnessed a number of angry confrontations between drivers and pedestrians.

The simple solution is to make sure that traffic in both directions always stop together. During busy times, the out of city traffic starts up again very quickly, as soon as the pedestrian crossing has run it's minimum time. We also cycle the signals round more quickly than normal, to keep traffic moving. We have CCTV monitoring in the area and all the signals are linked to our Urban Traffic Control system. We have a system of queue detectors in the area which trigger changes in timing plans on the traffic signals. Everything possible is being done to optimise traffic flows in this area.

Since we introduced the changes we have had no further complaints from pedestrians and have received a lot of compliments for making the crossing safer. We have however had quite a few queries along the lines of this one from mystified drivers who, once thereasons are explained, understand the safety related reasoning. "

Planner1 gave an explanation about this junction on another thread, I've copied it below:

"The sequence of the trafffic signals at Fulwood Road / Manchester Road was changed following a substantial number of complaints from pedestrians.

The signals always used to show green for traffic out of city on Fulwood Road unless a pedestrian pushed the button on the crossing across that road. Into city traffic on Fulwood Road had to stop to allow Manchester Road to run.

We received countless complaints that pedestrians were almost being run over by drivers running the red light out of city on Fulwood Road. We investigated this and even had a 12 hour count of drivers abusing the red light done. It showed only one instance. We were rather mystified, so carried out detailed on-site observations. What was happening was that pedestrians were seeing into city traffic stopping on Fulwod Road into city(to let Manchester Rd run), assuming that the green man was about to illuminate and setting off across the road, bringing them into frequent conflict with drivers heading out of city quite legitimately. We witnessed a number of angry confrontations between drivers and pedestrians.

The simple solution is to make sure that traffic in both directions always stop together. During busy times, the out of city traffic starts up again very quickly, as soon as the pedestrian crossing has run it's minimum time. We also cycle the signals round more quickly than normal, to keep traffic moving. We have CCTV monitoring in the area and all the signals are linked to our Urban Traffic Control system. We have a system of queue detectors in the area which trigger changes in timing plans on the traffic signals. Everything possible is being done to optimise traffic flows in this area.

Since we introduced the changes we have had no further complaints from pedestrians and have received a lot of compliments for making the crossing safer. We have however had quite a few queries along the lines of this one from mystified drivers who, once thereasons are explained, understand the safety related reasoning. "

drivers running the red light is to blame? Lol. Perhaps this would be a perfect place for a red light camera.

Does anyone know how them boxes on top of traffic lights actually work/what they're for? I had a theory they detected lights and changed accordingly i.e so if its on a crossing, at night the box detects your lights and turns to green so your not sat there all night. Any one knowabout them?

The traffic lights at park square roundabout for the traffic coming down the road with the sweet shop on (don't know what the road is called) - they stay on green for 4, yes FOUR seconds!!!!

Can anyone beat this?!
you dont mean City Road do you? Because cars aren't supposed to come down there.

I've never counted the seconds but the ones on Hillsborough corner (coming from KFC) are pretty quick. There are always massive tailbacks from there too.

and sometimes they miss a turn and you have to wait even longer.

you dont mean City Road do you? Because cars aren't supposed to come down there.

I think they meant Broad Street. The lights there only let about 3 cars through - mind you I don't think there's ever been a very big queue when I've used them.

Compared to the amount of traffic all the other entrances to Park Square carry I think the timing is about right.

Can anyone tell me the point of the lights on Fulwood road where it joins Manchester Road. That is, as you go through Broomhill towards Fulwood.
They are completely redundant as far as I can see. What exactly am I giving way to? :loopy:

Live not too far away from here and often noticed these useless lights before. The only thing is, the 'boffins' have made all the Fulwood Road side into a crossing meaning that once the lights into town are at red therefore, out of town traffic has to stop too. Like we both said, useless as hardly anyone ever uses the crossing :huh:

Does anyone know how them boxes on top of traffic lights actually work/what they're for? I had a theory they detected lights and changed accordingly i.e so if its on a crossing, at night the box detects your lights and turns to green so your not sat there all night. Any one knowabout them?

They're microwave vehicle detectors, essentially radar. They pick up moving vehicles and tell the signal controller that there are vehicles on that approach.

drivers running the red light is to blame? Lol. Perhaps this would be a perfect place for a red light camera.

Read the post again. It's nothing to do with red light running.

Live not too far away from here and often noticed these useless lights before. The only thing is, the 'boffins' have made all the Fulwood Road side into a crossing meaning that once the lights into town are at red therefore, out of town traffic has to stop too. Like we both said, useless as hardly anyone ever uses the crossing :huh:

I don't think that the many pedestrians who use that crossing would agree with you.

Is a few seconds delay too high a price to pay for safety?

How about the lights at the bottom of the hill from Ecclesfield as you go towards Chapeltown? You have a few seconds of green light, then red. Meanwhile the traffic at the side of you turning right down Wooly Wood bottom still has a green light. There is nowhere for any other traffic to come from to use the road you want, but you can't go!

They're microwave vehicle detectors, essentially radar. They pick up moving vehicles and tell the signal controller that there are vehicles on that approach.
Well they're useless lol, they never pick up my scooter they just stay red :mad: .

Well they're useless lol, they never pick up my scooter they just stay red :mad: .
The lights are like that on our road. Somewhere there is a sensor, that only works with motor vehicles, and then only if you are behind the white stop line. Many a time I have had to open my living room window, to tell either the cyclist, or the car thats edging forward, that the lights won't change. The cyclist will sit there for ages, patiently, but the car driver won't, frequently going through a red light. What they don't realise is that the traffic stops on the main road, to allow either the tram or traffic from adjacent side road to proceed. Seen many a 'near miss'!

Jayne

Definately got to be the lights on Meadowhead that both go on red when theres not even a bus there!!

Well they're useless lol, they never pick up my scooter they just stay red :mad: .

All vehicle detectors, both inductive loops and microwaves should pick up bikes, motorbikes and scooters, if they don't there is a fault. When they go faulty they usually default to permanent vehicle detection (i.e. they assume that there is always something waiting), but that doesn't always happen with things like bikes. A bike only causes about a 0.05% change in inductance when it goes over an inductive loop detector - that's a lot less than the normal change of inductance caused by temperature changes and how wet the road surface is. The electronics of the detector can still detect a bike, but they have to be set up correctly.

If you come across a faulty vehicle detector you can report it 24/7 on Sheffield 273 6666 - which is the number for all traffic signal faults. We will try to get it working again, but sometimes we just have to set the detector to permanent detect until the road surface can be relaid (we can't cut inductive loops into a surface which is breaking up) - which is a whole different ball game which I won't get into!

I don't think that the many pedestrians who use that crossing would agree with you.

Is a few seconds delay too high a price to pay for safety?

I agree the few seconds isn't too high a price for safety, but when there is a queue of traffic and no-one crossing, frustration sets in with drivers sitting waiting for nothing but the lights to change.

If some sort of push button crossing was there, the out of town drivers could carry straight on when no pedestrians wanted to cross. Simple solution really then everyone would be happy :D .

I agree the few seconds isn't too high a price for safety, but when there is a queue of traffic and no-one crossing, frustration sets in with drivers sitting waiting for nothing but the lights to change.

If some sort of push button crossing was there, the out of town drivers could carry straight on when no pedestrians wanted to cross. Simple solution really then everyone would be happy :D .

Yes, that's all well and good for motorists but doesn't address the needs of vulnerable pedestrians.

It used to work that way, but when into city traffic on Fulwood Road stopped to let Manchester Road run, pedestrians used to think that the green man was about to come on, they'd start crossing and then come into conflict with vehicles heading out of city quite legitimately on a green light. I personally observed lots of altercations and near misses. We tried various ways of trying to tell people to only cross on a green man, but the problem continued.

Pedestrians are vulnerable and it was clear that there was significant risk because of the misconception problem. We changed the sequence such that traffic in both directions on Fulwood Road always stops together, thus eliminating the pedestrian misconception problem. Out of city traffic on Fulwood Road is released as soon as the crossing has run it's cycle, so delays are short. UTC have CCTV cameras up there and a lot of time has been spent optimising signal co-ordination for the three signal junctions at Broomhill. Traffic flows as well as it possibly can.

The Council must do it's best for all road users, but as pedestrians are particularly vulnerable, in this case their needs were given priority over general traffic even though the problem was of their own making.

This was all done several years ago, but people in the area still congratulate Council officers for making the crossing safer for them.