What Sheffield Council's plans for all-day bus lanes on two major roads means for commuters

Proposals for all day bus lanes along Ecclesall Road and Abbeydale Road form part of the Connecting Sheffield scheme to transform transport infrastructure and reduce emissions in the city.

The changes would affect Ecclesall Road, from Fitzwilliam Gate in the city centre out to the Ecclesall Road junction with Abbey Lane, and Abbeydale Road from Cumberland Street down to the Abbeydale Road South junction with Sherwood Glen.

Plans include changes to five Abbeydale Road junctions and two Ecclesall Road roundabouts to make bus journeys more consistent, removing some parking spaces to upgrade bus stops, improving bus stops and changing traffic lights so they turn green when a bus approaches.

Coun Douglas Johnson, executive member for climate change, environment and transport at Sheffield Council, said: “We know it is difficult for people to use public transport because buses don’t get priority - they need faster routes to make sure they are consistently reliable.

“Public transport is a critical part of our future, we will need people to catch the bus to take cars off the road.

"I know it’s been said, but it’s so important I will say it again; we need to make it easier to travel by public transport so people can choose to leave the car at home. This will help reduce traffic congestion, improve the air we breathe, and make us a healthier city.”

In the South Yorkshire Bus review report, bus operators cited poor enforcement of cars parked in live bus lanes as a key cause of delays in main bus corridors.

There are also plans to make changes to five Abbeydale Road junctions and two Ecclesall Road roundabouts to make bus journeys more consistent.

This includes removing a short section of the inbound bus lane at Abbey Lane junction to improve traffic flow, moving bus stops and introducing a bus priority system at Springfield Road junction.

A segregated bus lane will be added at Tesco Junction so buses can bypass the traffic lights, and Bannerdale Road Junction traffic lights will be upgraded.

At St Mary’s Gate it has been proposed to change the crossing at Boston Street on London Road so that pedestrians can cross the road without needing to wait in the middle.

There are also proposals to remove some parking spaces down Ecclesall Road and Abbeydale Road in order to upgrade bus stops.

An online consultation is being held on the plans until December 16 and can be found here: https://connectingsheffield.commonplace.is/proposals/abbeydale-road-and-ecclesall-road.

A second consultation will be held next year.