Sustainable Transport in South Yorkshire

Update Feb 25

South Yorkshire Transport Activists - Briefing Notes For Feb 2025

South Yorkshire Transport Activists is an informal group that has emerged out of Sheffield Green Party but is now freestanding. We want to see people have real choices when they travel, whether by bus,tram, train, wheeling or walking. Like many areas South Yorkshire has acute congestion problems and needs sustainable solutions. We monitor transport developments in the county and produce a bimonthly briefing note for campaigners and politicians.

We get together on the 2nd Tuesday of the month and our next get-together is at the Sheffield Tap on Feb 11th at 6. All interested parties are welcome to join us for a chat. Just look for the table with a sign on it.

We run Google and WhatsApp groups for members to chat about transport issues in South Yorkshire. Message me via Substack if you’d like to know more

Here’s our overview of what’s going on in the Sustainable Transport World in South Yorkshire

1. Active Travel

Cycle Hubs

City Centre- Open

Moor Market - Open

Meadowhall - Open

Projects
City – Kelham - Neepsend Complete bar landscaping etc. There's an issue with an oblique kerb which we hope will be rectified quickly.

Magna Tinsley Alleged to be starting soon.

Darnall scheme TROs issued.

Thessco (Five Weirs Walk - section closed due to flood damage since 2017) - Andrew Pembroke at Sustrans has done a survey and some initial designs for a new structure. He’s awaiting approval from EA and others.

The West Bar roundabout is now open and doesn’t seem to be generating any problems despite the doom and gloom warnings from keyboard warriors.

A neat new connection at Bower Spring links the TPT in Kelham, NCN627, to the new roundabout at West Bar and into the City Centre.Sustrans/TPT need to keep an eye on developments like this with a view to re-routing the NCN where appropriate. Our routes our often based on what was expedient at the time and while it is part of our intent to guide visitors to our interesting and historic places,not all the routes do this, and if we continue to guide people via meandering routes that are of little interest to visitors while locals are increasingly whizzing around on high-quality routes nearby, we risk the Network seeming irrelevant.

Sheaf Street - we were promised that we would get rid of the advertising sign in the middle of a narrow section of the bike route about 6 months ago. Will it ever go?

It doesn’t…

The Peak Park NPA has launched an Active Travel consultation.

They want you to think about 5 places in the Park that are important to you in terms of Active Travel and then 5 places that are in need of improvement, then there's an opportunity to make more general comments, so you might want to think about those ten places before you start the consultation.

I've updated my page about cycle access to the Peak, which might give you some ideas.

https://www.sheffieldcycleroutes.org/getting-to-the-peak/

Start dates for other projects

City Centre Jan 25
Darnall/Attercliffe Jan 25
Nether Edge/ city Centre Mar 25

Burngreave? (£1.8m awarded to make the area more pedestrian friendly)

Oughtibridge paper mill site - Upper Don Trail link to village.

Concerns have been raised about delays to this project. They will need access from the Paper Mill site to put a bridge in across the Don and if they leave it too long the developers will build a house on the land they need.

2. Bus & Tram

272 Bus approaches the Millstone, Hathersage.

Bus fares increased by up to 50% on Jan 1st.

Bus Transfers are badly needed. Examples:

A Connection can be made at Carterknowle Road between the 6 and 98/other buses on the Abbeydale corridor. This gives access to that corridor without having to go into the centre, which can be daunting in the evening (negotiating the Waitrose car park at night) However, if you don’t have a pass that journey will cost you £5.20.

Another good connection can be made between the 10 ar Hunters Bar and the 6. Again, £5.20 or more if you don't have a pass.

Manchester has kept the £2 on fares and this includes a transfer. That’s how to get people back on buses.

Bus Franchising

There was an excellent response - over 7600. The SYMCA announcement of results likely at 18 March Board meeting

Better Buses will keep up the pressure with a presence at every SYMCA Boaard meeting

3. Roads

A625 Safer Roads scheme - The public consultation has now closed

Abbeydale Bus Priority Scheme - under construction.

4. Rail

Overall, things seem to have settled down a bit on the current network. Both EMR and Tpex are running longer trains on the Liverpool - Manchester - Sheffield run, while Northern 3-car trains are capacious for passengers with little luggage but the space for bikes and other equipment that people want to take with them into the Peak District National Park is inadequate.

Cross-country has acquired 10 units from Avanti so this should alleviate overcrowding somewhat.

The pay settlements have reduced the number of strikes. There are still some problems with Sunday working - Yorkshire staff have reached a settlement but those in the North-West haven't. This affects the popular Sunday morning Hope Valley trains which are frequently cancelled. One solution would be to roster these trains from Sheffield.

Electrification of the MML is creeping up towards Leicester but won’t be complete until the 2030’s. We will start to see new EMR trains coming into service this year. The interior of these trains looks very good but the bike space is inadequate.

LNER are acquiring 10 new trains from CAF. These are to replace remaining Class 90/Mark IV sets (225) and are most likely to be used on KX-Leeds, thus passing through Doncaster. We were consulted on the bike space - it's an improvement on the Azumas but people will still have to lift their bikes onto hooks which some people can't do.

The Stocksbridge - Sheffield and Sheffield - Chesterfield via Barrow Hill proposals have been thrown into doubt by the cancellation of the “Reversing Beeching” programme. SYMCA are still looking at the Don Valley Line and Barrow Hill Line for potential tram train extensions. They are also still in discussions with Network Rail about a heavy rail service on the Barrow Hill Line. However, there is currently no funding available.

A new mainline station is being planned for Rotherham, integrating tram-train.

Overall, though, SYMCA’s plans for development of the rail network seem unambitious.

5. Integrated Transport (Anything that spans more than one mode)

The Govt has launched a consultation on their Integrated Transport Strategy. We are pushing for bike carriage on trams and longer distance buses, e.g. into the National Parks

There is much more to do integrating rail and bus services, co-ordinating to provide seamless journeys. Bus and rail privatisation made this very difficult to do

6. Air. SYMCA and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce are pushing for the reopening of the White Elephant Doncaster Sheffield Air[ort. And have allocated £20m of taxpayers money for this so far.

7. SCC Committees

Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee

26 Mar 2025 2.00 pm

12 Feb 2025 2.00 pm

Question put by Roy to TRC for 12 Feb:

Is it time to reconsider the city centre free parking permit for EVs?

I would request TRC committee to consider the following points:

- Currently, free EV parking worsens parking problems: EV owners. have the right to park all day for free. This makes parking more difficult for disabled and those with a brief parking need, such as business, trades people or shoppers. They drive around looking for spaces, causing more pollution.

- Long term, this concession is unsustainable; the sooner it is withdrawn the better.

- EVs are an improvement on ICE vehicles, but they are heavier and emit more particulate matter than others. We should not be giving them wholehearted, unconditional stimuli.

- EV drivers now benefit from CAZ exemption. Why should they also benefit from free parking?

- EV free parking benefits wealthier people who can afford to buy EVs. Parking charges they would pay could benefit the general population. (TRC might want to consider exemptions for work EVs??)

- A lot of SCC time is spent trying to resolve this sort of traffic problem. Ultimately, a major contributor to resolution will be better public transport. TRC cttee should consider using funds raised by fines, CAZ, parking etc. to support better services on key routes.

REPLY:

Thank you for your question.

Following a recent report on Parking Fees and Charges, Waste and Streetscene Committee requested that officers in the parking services team work together with the Transport team and this committee to examine and review the Green Permit Scheme (and others) and report findings and any recommendations for action or change to the appropriate committee. This is currently under review.

FURTHER QUESTION:

Will the public be able to contribute to/observe the discussion around the Green Permit Scheme?

Waste & Street Scene Policy Committee

4 Apr 2025 10.00 am

14 Feb 2025 10.00 am

Mayoral Combined Authority Board - Tuesday, 11th February, 2025 3.00 pm

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, 11 Broad Street West, Sheffield S1 2BQ

Provisional dates for next SYTA get-togethers: (We meet at 6 in the Sheffield Tap)

March/April TBA

June 10th

August 12th

October 14th

December 9th