Work begins on Clarkehouse Road scheme

car parked on road

Work has begun this week on a new road safety scheme at Clarkehouse Road which has been widely supported by cyclists and residents.

Sheffield Council says the scheme to put double yellow lines along the road has been amended to reflect concerns by some businesses, including the nearby King Edward swimming pool.

New measures include a bus stand in front of the swimming pool so that coaches can pick up children after swimming lessons and providing short stay pay and display at nearby College Street. The scheme will also be reviewed after a year to monitor its effectiveness.

The proposal is to remove parking from the whole of Clarkehouse Road. The reasons for proposing this change is to maintain the free and safe flow of traffic and to improve visibility into Clarkehouse Road out of side roads, especially at Park Lane, Broomgrove Crescent and Rutland Park.

The South Yorkshire Collision Database shows that there were 15 injury collisions on Clarkehouse Road in five years from 2013 to 2017. Eight of these collisions involved people cycling, one of which was serious.

Tom Finnegan-Smith, head of strategic transport at Sheffield City Council, said: “We have gone back and looked at this scheme and made changes where possible. We do feel that this scheme will be of great benefit to people cycling and to pedestrians, and is in line with our ambitions to promote active travel and the visions set out in our new transport strategy.

“We are working closely with businesses to understand their concerns and helping them to find alternatives.”

Clarkehouse Road is part of the National Cycle Network (Route 6) and is used by people commuting by bicycle from the west side of the city to reach the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield University and the city centre, by students at both Universities travelling between their accommodation and campuses both on foot and by bicycle and for leisure.

It has also been identified as one of the areas in Sheffield where cycling could potentially be increased, reducing congestion in the city centre.

Given the narrowness of parts of Clarkehouse Road when cars do park in the areas of covered by the peak-hour waiting restriction they tend to park with two wheels on the footway. This can cause problems for pedestrians and buggy users.

Sheffield Council contacted 144 properties on Clarkehouse Road along with Birkdale Preparatory School, the Botanical Gardens, CycleSheffield and King Edward Swimming Pool.

It received 111 responses – 101 were supportive with nine against. 

The work is expected to take two to three weeks.