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A council chief has argued that a proposed ‘Red Route’ bus scheme with parking restrictions along two major Sheffield roads may be needed to combat significant congestion and better support public transport in a ‘growing city’.

Sheffield City Council Deputy Leader Julie Grocutt told concerned dentist Dr Richard Brogden, of LWT Dental Care, on Ecclesall Road, that buses along Ecclesall Road and Abbeydale Road are experiencing delays and unreliable journey times due to congestion and transport changes are needed to support the growing city.

She stated in a letter to Dr Brogden: “Buses operating along Ecclesall Road and Abbeydale Road are experiencing delays and unreliable bus journey times due to significant congestion along these corridors.

"As a growing city, with plans for an additional 20,000 homes in and around the city centre, and further growth in our economy and employment, the need for transport to support this in a sustainable way is essential, particularly given the need to also address our climate and environmental challenges.”

Pictured, right, is LWT Dental Care, on Ecclesall Road, near Hunter's Bar, Sheffield, which is opposed to Sheffield City Council's proposed 'Red Route' bus scheme and parking restrictions along Ecclesall Road.

The council is proposing to roll-out bus-priority measures including London-style ‘Red Routes’ with bus lanes operating from 7am to 7pm on Ecclesall Road and Abbeydale Road to improve bus journey times, reliability and consistency with parking restrictions for all other vehicles.

But LWT Dental Care and other businesses on Ecclesall Road have raised fears that this may result in bans for other vehicles from stopping, parking, waiting or loading during key times seriously affecting customers, business, patients and healthcare provision.

Concerning the proposals, Cllr Grocutt, who is also co-chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, stated: “These are part of our overall approach to improving local public transport services for people to access employment, retail and leisure along the corridors and in the city centre.”

The scheme includes possible junction improvements, traffic signal upgrades, and pedestrian crossings, amendments to bus lanes or the ‘enhanced enforcement of parking

Pictured is Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council, Cllr Julie Grocutt, who is also co-chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee.

restrictions’.

Council officers have also undertaken investigations into the ‘significant levels of illegal parking’ along Abbeydale Road and Ecclesall Road, according to Cllr Grocutt, which she stated currently plays a significant part in delays to buses and private vehicles.

Cllr Grocutt claimed to Dr Brogden that parking, loading and unloading can still be accommodated on ‘red route’ corridors during certain periods and that the determining factor for the times parking may be allowed is normally the hours of operation of bus lanes, or those periods when corridors experience congestion with parking and loading provided in the inter-peak period.

No final decisions on either the Abbeydale Road or Ecclesall Road bus priority schemes have yet been made, but following further consideration a report on the proposed project is expected to be considered at a Transport, Regeneration and Climate Committee meeting in the summer.

LWT Dental Care dentists, left to right, Russell Taylor, Andy Tootell and Richard Brogden, fear the proposed Sheffield City Council 'Red Route' bus scheme parking ban outside their practice on Ecclesall Road will create serious care difficulties for their patients.

LWT Dental Care has raised concerns that the proposed ‘Red Route’ bus plan’s parking ban for Ecclesall Road will significantly affect patient care in an already heavily-congested area and it could discourage attendance and discriminate against those dependent on personal vehicles such as the elderly, the disabled and the very young.

Dr Brogden has been sharing concerns with Abbeydale Road businesses and a residents’ association near the Botanical Gardens, on Ecclesall Road, while LWT Dental Care has also organised a petition opposed to the plans which is being circulated around nearby Banner Cross, Hunters Bar, Sharrow Vale Road and Oakbrook Road.

He previously said: “By limiting the ability of those who are more vulnerable, elderly, infirm or frail from being able to park outside the practice through the implementation of the ‘Red Route’, we believe that this will discourage them from attending. In addition, the added pressure onto parents and carers will further impose difficulties that may prevent or reduce access to our practice.”

Chris Lawrance, of Design Studio, on Ecclesall Road, and Karen Grady, of Lobby Toff hair salon, have both said they feel the ‘route’ would be ‘devastating’ for business.

The council proposals are part of the £55m Connecting Sheffield scheme which aims to encourage people to switch to walking, cycling or public transport, particularly when commuting to work to combat climate change and improve health.

Cllr Grocutt stated the council has already held a formal consultation period between November, 2021, and January, 2022, which included the views of over 3,600 consultees, a press release, 16,000 consultation postcards, meetings with councillors and relevant MPs and Covid-19 compliant webinar seminars.

Council chief says Sheffield 'Red Route' bus scheme parking bans aim to beat congestion