• I have never had an accident due to the tram tracks because………(e.g. this could be because you avoid the tracks because you believe them to be too much of a hazard, because ……..).
• My (first) accident was at ….(the precise location e.g. adjacent/ opposite house number/ the Media Restaurant/ about 10m before the City hall tram stop, etc) whilst cycling from the direction of Smith St towards Fred St.
• Describe in detail what happened (I know that after an accident things can be a bit fuzzy as the incident usually happens so quickly it is difficult to be precise, if you are not exactly sure please say so and why):  I was approaching the tram stop not realising that it juts out into the road.  I pulled out to avoid the stop and my wheel slipped into the groove.  I was catapulted over the handle bars and ended up on the street.
• Injuries: I suffered a broken left wrist, extensive bruising and had some stitches in a bad cut to my arm.
• The time was approx 10.30 a.m. on 25 March 1997 (be as accurate as you can, but say if you cannot be sure) it was a bright sunny day and the road was dry, it was very blustery though.
• Please add any other information you consider relevant e.g. you may consider that the use of red coloured surfacing contributed in some way to the accident. Or you’ve only just moved to Sheffield/ this area of Sheffield and it was your first time cycling along the tracks etc.

  If you have had more than one accident, please repeat the process making it clear that it is a different accident.

  In some cases we may like further information and may wish to contact you. If you do not wish to be contacted please say so.

Streets Ahead Resurfacing schedule

Wolseley Road 16 July 2014 – 20 July 2014.

Stannington 21 July 2014 for 2 weeks.

Halfway and Mosborough 21 July 2014  – ?

Greystones 14 July 2014 for 5 weeks.

Sandygate 14 July 2014

Ecclesfield Zone. Hallwood Road and Bracken Hill.night work (7pm to 7am) which will take place from 9 July 2014 for 1 week.

Station Lane, Oughtibridge bridge improvement works. seven weekend closures from  12 and 13 July 2014.  (not necessarily consecutive)

Fulwood Common Lane 14 July 2014 for 2 weeks.

Stainiforth Road (sic) 13 July 2014 (letter sent by Andrew Staniforth!)

If you know this person, please let them know that cycling across a busy tramstop and past a station exit, ringing your bell and expecting people to get out of your way isn’t acceptable.

However, unfortunately once again it looks like Brunswick St is going to be resurfaced and the rough surface of the contra-flow lane is just going to be left, unless the council can intervene – we’ve asked them!

Update to this story:

This quickly turned from farce to tragedy.

Although we warned the Council that someone was about to do something very silly, they seemed powerless to do anything and sure enough the roughly painted on arrow became an official traffic sign. Meanwhile the arrow that should be there, on the “fillet” on the middle of Glossop Rd, had been left half-painted on:

And we found another example of this on Fulwood Rd

Never let it be said that Sheffield City Council doesn’t do things by halves!

We’ve raised a complaint about the lack of enforcement of peak-time parking restrictions on Glossop Rd, specifically the row of shops between Wilkinson St and Broomspring Lane.

We are told that the best way to report a specific parking issue that you see is to call Parking Services control room on 0114 2736255. They are in  radio contact with the CEO’s and can ask patrols nearby to investigate any issues, so can often respond rapidly.

So if you find this a hazard or inconvenience suggest you put this number into your mobile phone and give them a call on your way home. We will keep up the pressure with Parking Services management as well.

If you can’t view this file properly follow this link.

The new shared use path in Chesterfield is open for business (Photos taken on a rainy day so not many other people around!)

This will get you from the Sheffield Road A61 roundabout all the way to Chesterfield Station.

Train companies have released details of their cycle carriage policy for the period of 5-7 July 2014 when the Tour de France is in England.

Operators have worked closely with organisers of The Tour to ensure that the race runs smoothly and spectators can access the race route using the railway. Many train companies will be running extra services or adding additional carriages to carry more passengers. Information about long distance services will be available from today and details of local trains will be available in mid-May.

The first stage of The Tour will start in Leeds and end in Harrogate on 5 July. The second stage will then begin in York and end in Sheffield on 6 July, and head south for a stage on 7 July which begins in Cambridge and ends in London. Train operators are expecting services to be busy during this period with the number of travellers boosted not only by the Tour itself but also by local road closures.

Between 5-7 July, normal cycle carriage policies will apply but passengers are being advised to avoid taking bikes on trains as high demand may mean longer waits for passengers with bikes as spaces are limited. Unless passengers have reserved space for their bike, an option available mainly with intercity operators, they are being advised to allow extra time to make their journey as they may not be able to board their planned train with a bicycle.

Conrad Haigh, head of integrated transport at the Association of Train Operating Companies, said:

“The Tour de France coming to Britain is a great occasion and train operators have worked hard with the organisers to ensure that as many people as possible can get to the event by train. Operators will keep their usual cycle carriage policies in place but passengers need to be aware that the demand for space will be much higher.
“As well as people who normally travel, more will be using the train to avoid road closures and there will be thousands of Tour spectators so many services will be very busy. Cyclists are being asked to take a sensible approach and avoid bringing a bike on any train that might be busier than usual because of the Tour but, if it’s unavoidable, they should allow extra time to make their journey.”

Notes to editors
For the most up-to-date details of cycle carriage information on specific trains and journeys people should check their train operator’s website. Passengers can also download the free National Rail Enquiries (NRE) mobile app which can provide details of specific cycle-rail journeys.

More information is available here.

The NRE app is available for iPhone and Android devices and can be downloaded free from Google Play or iTunes. It includes information such as:

*        cycling facilities at stations,

*        cycles carriage rules specific to your rail journey,

*        an indication of the level of cycle spaces on specific trains, and

*        whether cycle reservations are available
For more details of the Tour de France stages in England or how it may affect journeys please visit:  http://letour.yorkshire.com/

The bollards that were plonked in the bike route have gone – not sure whether that’s because of a specific complaint or the ridicule we have plastered all over them for the past 15 years or so. Good news anyway.

The Sheffield to Chesterfield Railway Line is closed due to a landslip, which means Dronfield has no train service. Here’s an alternative cycle route.

Link to Map

This route helps you get out of town on quieter roads. In the opposite direction (Chesterfield – Sheffield) you may wish to take advantage of the long downhills and stay on busier roads. 

From Sheffield Station cross Sheaf St at the main crossing (near the ticket office) mount the pavement on the opposite side of the road and turn left. Follow the shared use to the crossing of Howard St, then mount the road on your right  (Paternoster Row) turn left at Matilda St then r. Shoreham St (off-road contra-flow) .  Cross the Ring Road and continue straight for a mile or so, with Sheffield United football ground on your right.

As you approach the traffic lights at the junction with Bramall Lane, there’s a cycle right turn lane which takes you up on to some red pavement, Cross at the toucan crossing and follow the cycle lane past James’s cycle shop, and onto Asline Rd. (This section can be blocked by football coaches if there’s a match on – CycleSheffield has taken this up with the police and council.)  At the bottom, cross at the toucan and go up up Glover Rd  – turn left for Saxon Rd, along the cycle track past Virgin Gym, then left on Little London Road. taking the cycle track on the right up to Heeley Retail Park (route currently blocked by Costa Coffee – we’re working on this) use the main exit from the retail park, straight across Chesterfield Rd and up Beeton Rd and enter Meersbrook Park. Technically you should walk up through the park to Bishops House, straight up Thorpe House Rd  right on Lees Hall Rd (nice switchback) r. on Mount View Rd, left on Warminster Rd to the top, left then first r. to Bunting Nook, emerging onto Norton Lane which is a bit busy.

Turn r. to Norton Park View, (there is a cycle route signposted on Norton Park View but this takes you to Norton College and in our view involves a dangerous tight turn on Norton Park Rd ) go through the bike gate at the end and left on Little Norton Lane. r. on Little Norton Lane to the toucan crossing at Meadowhead, which at the time of writing is being re-modelled. Use the off-road alongside the A61 as far as Sheffield Park Hotel and we recommend you stay on the pavement to the crossing at Batemoor Rd. Here the best thing to do is operate the lights, wait for the traffic to stop and then head hell for leather down to the next roundabout where there is an off-road avoiding route. (take care crossing the busy roads. )

Continue down Sheffield Road which is busy down to Dronfield but gets quieter. Stay on this road all the way down to Sheepbridge, passing Dronfield station. At Dronfield you can use Mill Lane, which takes you past Vernon Barker Cycles, and is an interesting detour with a nature park, but if you’re in a hurry stay on the main road. When you see the Dronfield bypass bridge ahead turn left to stay on Sheffield Rd, the B6057. The roundabout at Brimington (JE James cycle shop) has cycle tracks in the subway – head for Station Rd which becomes Sheffield Rd. You can now use the new cycle route from here alongside the A61 (haven’t tried this yet) coming back onto the road at Chesterfield College and with a ramp at the end to take you up to Brewery St. Turn left and the station is in sight –  corporation st has a walkway to take you up to the town centre. 

Trip should take 1 hour for a reasonably fast cyclist.