Surrey Street Sheffield: Wedding cars to be banned from parking outside Town Hall

Wedding cars will be banned from parking outside Sheffield Town Hall when a historic road is closed to vehicles and a bike lane is installed as part of the ‘transformation’ of the city centre.

Surrey Street is being pedestrianised in a move which has alarmed some businesses and will stop wedding cars parking outside the Town Hall.

Sheffield City Council says it will install moving bollards at the junction with Norfolk Street to allow deliveries after 6pm and before 10am.

A parking bay on Barker’s Pool will be changed from ‘police vehicles only’ to ‘permit holders’ for weddings and VIP visitors.

The authority says it plans to provide more disabled parking on Leopold and Union streets to replace the ones being lost on Surrey Street and Charles Street, which is also being pedestrianised.

Elaine Bird of Bird Opticians on Surrey Street said pedestrianisation plans would be “disastrous.”

She added: “I appreciate that the city centre is a work in progress but small independent traders like ours are suffering badly and can only hope we make it through to the other side. Access to the city centre is appalling for anyone not fit and able bodied.

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“Parking on Surrey Street is almost non-existent and it's traffic chaos almost all day. 

“There were two disabled parking bays but they have been removed to accommodate building works equipment for Fargate so we have a double whammy. Massive disruption to Fargate and nowhere to park.”

The changes are part of the council’s Connecting Sheffield plans which closed Pinstone Street to traffic and saw Surrey Street turned into a dead end. 

A council spokesman confirmed a traffic ban would be imposed from its junction with Norfolk Street. 

Work is expected to start next year, The Star understands.

The authority sent supportive comments from the trustees at the Montgomery Theatre on Surrey Street.

They said: “The Montgomery Theatre and Arts Centre supports the pedestrianisation of Surrey Street for the positive impact it will have on the children and young people that use our building. By prioritising foot traffic over vehicles, it creates a safer environment for the young people visiting the theatre, from school visits, to dance and drama students to our young audiences.

“Reduced traffic would improve air quality and noise levels, benefiting both health and well-being, not just for children but for everyone who spends their time in and around The Monty.

“This move also encourages active lifestyles and sustainable modes of transportation, aligning with The Monty’s green policies efforts to combat climate change. We hope that pedestrianisation will help to transform Surrey Street to a child and pedestrian-friendly zone area, enhancing its charm and appeal and encouraging more people into the Theatre Quarter of Sheffield.”