AndrewC

Undeniably a farce, overall, but not really the same context as the Fargate street works - the issues there are mostly ones out of the hands of the Council.

Your source is incorrect; it will be a cycle lane manufacturing plant from the 5th September, and before that is going to be used as the venue for Tramlines next weekend, in order to save Hillsborough Park.

Cor, just a thought, mate, maybe, just thinking about it, you know, maybe it's currently only 1.7% of all journeys and 2% of the population because, jeez, I don't know, just going out on a limb here, hard to tell, but maybe, just maybe, thinking about it, it's because there's hardly any cycle lanes, all the existing cycle lanes are crap, and cars dominate the road so much that no one feels safe trying to cycling on the existing carriageways, maybe? hmm? Just impossible to tell, isn't Uggy?

But the same council have just put a bus gate on Arundel Gate meaning zero private cars travelling northbound between Novotel and Norfolk Street? That will have caused a noticeable reduction in emissions on that stretch?

That's just a local plan vision of what the expected future development of the area would or could look like. These kinds of local plans always exist in cities, and only really have a bearing on informing planning application decisions as and when they arise. This vision itself would not have any bearing on why Wickes have now decided to close or what the land/building owners choose to do now. In fact, someone over on Skyscrapercity.com says they spoke to some of the staff at Wickes and they think The Range are going to open a store in a few months... The Range - Furniture, Bedding, Curtains, Crafts, DIY, Garden & More so - as a building - it may not being going anywhere yet. Bear in mind that countless residential developments with planning approval have all stalled in Sheffield in the last few years due to both local and national conditions not being right for the developer - until Labour can get house building nationwide going again, there's no likelihood of a new development here just yet.

I've used Wickes plenty of times for things that fit inside a small carrier bag or backpack? Still though, not many people are using it for small stuff and I doubt they're putting off much custom by not having a Moor-facing entrance.

There was land that had been protected for use in the future for a high-quality cycle lane. That's now off the table because of this. Perhaps if actual useful, high-quality lanes which actually worked for cyclists were built & protected then they would actually use them instead of the road.

We are envious - you're richer for being without it!

I was referring to comments made by the staff reported in The Star - they very much seem to be suggesting it as the primary and overriding reason for closure. Completely agree with you though, Ash. Multitude reasons likely for this closing, of which CAZ is just one, but frustratingly usually one which is made to look more impactful than it actually is by the media.

Doubt that it's the whole story - it very rarely is when businesses cite CAZ (or similar in other cities). It might be a contributing factor and the straw that brakes the camel's back, but very rarely the primary reason. It probably has impacted a business like Wickes more than most, mind. Worth bearing in mind though, as always, many vehicles - even LGVs - are exempt, if their engine is modern enough. It's a fallacy from the staff to suggest all vehicles pay the charge. A city centre site is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the convenience for trades and public alike to be able to access building supplies close to high-density housing in the city centre, Ecclesall Road etc; on the other side, it's the worst place for lorries, white vans, etc to be having to drive to, and it's poor economic use of a valuable site. This site will be of huge interest to developers, probably looking to build housing, or the Council or owners or The Moor may be interested in acquiring the site, either also for housing or some other scheme of a different use. It doesn't stop at the city centre site for Wickes either; their Rutland Road site is also in a prime location for the ever-expanding gentrification of Kelham Island/Neepsend, in fact those recent masterplans showed housing on the site. Expect that to close

If you add more parking, more people (currently using bus, taxi etc) will choose to drive, the extra spaces will fill up, and you're back to square one.

Absolutely stinking scheme from a transportation point of view. Rides roughshod over any potential improvements that could have been made to cycling and pedestrian infrastructure on Penistone Road, in fact makes both worse by shoving them in the same space. Also, just a generally car-centric development which will encourage more car trips in an already congested area. Absolutely laughable. Hope no one who uses it ever has the audacity to claim they have any concerns about environmental issues or even just the nerve to complain about traffic congestion. They'd be hypocrites if they do.

It's 2024 and this is still the level of understanding some people have about how human beings deal with trauma. Grow up, Beechwood.

Please can we stop this conversation. As peak4 put it on the previous page:

I won't be so harsh on foxydebs as Dan is being but, ask yourself this; is it really the time, the place, the core issue of the subject? Victim blaming doesn't need to have been a deliberate act, you can be guilty of it even if you were only providing a well-meaning suggestion. The major issue with debs advice is that it unnecessarily turns the focus of blame (whether intentional or not) back on a cyclist who has lost their life really through no fault of their own.