Update October 2013

The Highways Committee discussed this on 10th October and decided to go with the recommendations from Place These can be summarised as follows:

Part of the Bus Lane at Banner Cross will go.

The Hunters Bar – Rustlings Rd bus lane will go, but not until there is an alternative cycle route through Endcliffe Park.

The Shared Use proposal for the pavement on Ecclesall Rd is being dropped –  a victory for common sense.

Our suggestions for improvements to cycling on adjacent streets are being considered.

So, a partial victory for us, and the principle we hope that you can’t just take out bus lanes without considering cyclists. We don’t particularly want to share space with buses but at the moment it’s all we have in many locations.

Update August 2013

We received the Traffic Regulation Order for the removal of the Bus Lane between Hunters Bar and Banner Cross in July 2013. These proposals will create additional hazards for cyclists particularly at peak times, partly due to the closer proximity of traffic but also due to the additional traffic created by the removal of bus priority measures, which will cause more people to drive rather than catch the bus. It is an absolute requirement that cyclists are protected from the council’s proposals to increase the amount of private motor traffic using Ecclesall Road, which in themselves are in direct contradiction with the council’s stated sustainability objectives.

Following a concerted campaign the Council have agreed to take our comments into account. We are in the process of arranging a meeting and the final plan is to go to Highways Committee for approval, probably in October.

Update March 2011

The council has published some proposals for Ecclesall Rd that we are deeply unhappy with. These include:-

They propose to remove the inbound bus lane section of the roundabout, allowing vehicles to use all three lane approaches to the roundabout. they also propose to remove the outbound bus lane from Hunter’s Bar Roundabout towards Rustlings Road, so that vehicles would not have to quickly merge into one lane.

The outside lanes on the approach to Ringinglow Road and Gisborne Road could be made right-turn only, meaning right turning vehicles would no longer block traffic continuing along Ecclesall Road. The current single yellow line on the outbound side of Ecclesall Road South would need to be made a double yellow line.

These proposals will endanger cyclists and inconvenience bus passengers who already have to suffer long queues on this route due to the volume of traffic that the council seems to want to encourage.

This is the final response of cyclesheffield (formerly Sheffield Cycle Campagn) to the Ecclesall Rd Smart Routes Consultation. This also incorporates the views of the local CTC and Sustrans representatives.

When Ecclesall Rd is clear of congestion, speeds are too high. Pomona St to Hunters Bar should be a 20mph zone – this would also reduce queuing at junctions. A Kensington High St – style ‘Naked Streets’ approach should be considered.

The Moore St subways are too narrow and should be widened. Visibility should be improved here as well.

The slip lane into Summerfield St is extremely hazardous for cyclists and should be removed or improved.

The cycle route crossing the entrance of the Waitrose car park is badly positioned on a blind bend and could do with a better layout.

All crossings, particularly Collegiate Crescent and the Groves and those in the Banner Cross area should be improved for cyclists. All the pedestrian crossings along Ecclesall Rd, but particularly H. Bar should be turned into Toucan crossings.Visibility of crossings needs to be improved.

Abuse of Bus Lanes by motorists and poor enforcement . Motorists frequently enter the bus lane to turn left further up without checking whether there are cyclists in the lane. The Bus Lanes themselves are too narrow and buses cannot get past cyclists.

At Hunters Bars the slip from Junction Rd into Sharrow Vale Rd is welcome but is poorly designed and collects road debris. It should be raised to prevent this from happening. The contraflow by Boots on Neil Rd is very useful BUT tends to get used as a an off-road parking slot.

Restricting the flow of traffic on Brocco Bank by preventing ‘doubling-up’ would improve the flow of traffic on Ecclesall Rd. This should be done by implementing a cycle lane on Brocco Bank.

Uphill from Hunters bar to the Gilders Volkswagen garage is badly in need of an uphill cycle lane, or a signed back-street route.

The R filter into Rustlings Rd is hazardous and Rustlings Rd is well overdue for re-surfacing.

“Clustering” of cyclists accidents has been noted between Banner Cross and Carterknowle Rd and the following measures are needed to reduce this:

A crossing at Banner Cross from Psalter Lane to Glenalmond Rd could be introduced with right turn lane at Psalter Lane that nudges up to the traffic island at the outbound junction with Ecclesall Rd South. Then, you need a shared use area where the new cycle stands have been put in, and a slip lane onto Glenalmond Rd (which ought to have a contraflow).

Cyclists face the same problems as motorists at Ecclesall Rd South, Banner Cross to Ringinglow Rd but are far more at risk. An additional toucan crossing is needed between Bannerdale Rd and Gisborne Rd.

The pavement between Banner Cross and Whirlow is wide enough to allow shared use (this being for children and inexperienced cyclists, more experienced cyclists will want to stay on the road)

The Carterknowle Rd junction is poorly designed and hazardous. The cycle lane past the shops doesn’t work – it is often parked in and even if it is free there is a danger of being ‘doored’. The road narrows considerably past the library and performing a R turn into Knowle Lane is very difficult.

Finally, the Abbey Lane junction is hazardous.

It is important to ensure that any measures that you introduce to improve sustainable travel modes are properly enforced.

Quiet Routes could be introduced :-

( These are suggestions for quieter routes which would supplement the use of Ecclesall Rd – not alternatives to making Ecclesall Rd safer for cyclists.)

Around the back of Berkeley Precinct, connecting Stalker Lees with Bruce Rd/Hickmott Rd –

Collegiate Crescent to the Groves, through SHU is another potentiality.

Frog Walk from Napier St to Sharrow Vale Rd via Porter Brook View could be made a viable cycle route.

A signed alternative cycle route from Hunters Bar, through Endcliffe Park as far as Rustlings Rd, then using the quieter back streets up to Banner Cross & Greystones. This could act as a stub for a future route along the side of Endcliffe Park to Bingham Park.

Botanical Road could be exploited as an alternative to Brocco Bank . It’s a very nice back-street route that is much more pleasant than chugging up Brocco bank with the cars and if one uses Dover & Wigfull Roads, not as steep. However, there is no actual cycle route across the bit of pavement at the top of Botanical Road where it joins Brocco bank. This should be made legitimate.

Around the back of Somerfields – turn L after the Concrete Reform Church.