Sheffield tree scandal: Consultation begins on council plans to resume Amey highway maintenance contract

A consultation on council plans to resume controversial highway maintenance works has begun, following a period of learning after the Sheffield trees scandal.

The work was paused in 2018 in the wake of the Sheffield tree saga - dubbed the 'street tree massacre' - during which the Streets Ahead programme aimed to fell 17,500 street trees. The council later apologising for misleading both the courts and public over the felling.

Now, the public are being urged to take part in the consultation, which will be conducted over six phases, to determine the best way forward for the resurfacing works described as being "necessary" by a council spokesperson.

They said: "The council has been working hard to learn from the street tree dispute and agree a way forward to carry out necessary resurfacing on these roads after the programme was paused in 2018."

Amey, which delivers the £2.2billion Streets Ahead contract for the council, has reportedly completed new designs for the streets which will allow resurfacing to take place whilst retaining trees.

The plans have been designed in a way aiming to strike a balance between maintaining sufficient road width for two-way traffic while also ensuring there is enough room to protect the roots of these trees and allow some space for future growth.

The spokesperson added: "In the current designs, the street trees have been retained by building out into the carriageway, but this does mean some of the kerb side space which could previously have been used for parking would be reduced."

It has also been said the designs have been shared with the Sheffield Street Tree Partnership and have been independently audited to ensure highway safety implications have been considered.

Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of the Waste and Street Scene Committee, said: "I am pleased to see these designs coming forward for consultation so the residents in the areas affected can provide their feedback on the proposals. We’ve worked hard to get the views of a number of stakeholders and are now keen to hear from residents too to ensure we can deliver necessary works in the most suitable way."

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The consultation opened on the council's Have Your Say website on Monday with the first phase focussing on Dunkeld Road, Banner Cross Road and Silver Hill Road. The following five phases will open throughout the year, with the final phase six done in two stages.

The council will also host drop-in sessions in the Ecclesall Library Community Room on Ecclesall Road to provide more information on the proposals on: Tuesday, February 27, 4-8.30pm; Thursday, February 29, 4-8.30pm; and on Saturday, March 2, 10am-3.30pm.