Key improvements set to transform travel in Sheffield city centre

Sheffield is transforming with fantastic regeneration projects reshaping the city centre, turning it into a vibrate and exciting place to live, work and play. The result will make the city a must-visit location for anyone looking to shop, eat, drink, and enjoy their day. From hosting events showcasing the best talent in the area on Cambridge Street, visiting that shop with the latest must-have item on The Moor, or meeting friends for a catch up outside one of the cafes on Surrey Street, Sheffield will have something for everyone.

The transformation of the city centre is well under way with projects including Heart of the City, Castlegate and Fargate continuing to take shape. Plans, which will go hand in hand with those regeneration projects, linking key areas of the city centre together and creating more space for people and events have been confirmed.

The improvements will encourage more people into the city centre and showcase the fantastic transformation currently happening as part of the regeneration of the area. It will also attract more people into the city centre to experience the unique shopping and leisure experience on offer.

Key improvements to the way people get about, not only taking public transport but also the way you can move from one side of the city centre to the other, will perfectly complement the regeneration projects transforming the area into one fit for the future. Connecting Sheffield: City Centre will give people more choice in how they travel around, providing safe and attractive walking, cycling and wheeling routes.

Cllr Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “Sheffield is a city on the up and as part of that we’re transforming the city centre into a space that people can be proud of. We’re creating fantastic, vibrant space for outdoor seating for cakes, turning the area into much more of a destination for an evening out with friends. We are also including areas where numerous events can be held throughout the year, attracting more people into the city centre.

“Sheffield’s city centre is transforming into an area fit for the future and this project gives us the much-needed infrastructure to match our ambitious plans. Improving the public transport network will form a crucial part of that plan, but enabling people to walk, cycle and wheel around, safely is crucial as well. There are still more than 9,000 car parking spaces available in the city centre, but we want to give people more choice about how they travel to and move within a transforming city.

"There are still more than 9,000 car parking spaces available in the city centre, but we want to give people more choice about how they travel to and move within a transforming city."

Parts of Pinstone Street, Surrey Street and Charles Street will be fully pedestrianised offering wider a more comfortable experience for shoppers and visitors alike. Introducing pedestrianised streets, and improving the quality of the area, has been shown to increase footfall and contribute to the vitality of city centres elsewhere in the country. Wider footways and pedestrianised streets open up the opportunity for an expansion in outdoor seating areas for nearby bars and restaurants helping to turn the city centre into a place people can enjoy throughout the day and into the evening as well. Segregated cycle routes though the core of the city will link to existing cycle routes and a brand-new bus hub on Rockingham Street with improvements to pavements and new bus stops will also be installed.

Cllr Miskell continued: “These are very ambitious plans, and we know they won’t, at first, be popular with everyone, but we know that, together with the rest of the regeneration being put together, Connecting Sheffield: City Centre will play a crucial role in the future of the city and will make Sheffield a much more attractive place for people to live, work and play.”

Connecting Sheffield: City Centre is being delivered by Sheffield City Council and is funded by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Ed Clancy, South Yorkshire’s Active Travel Commissioner, said: “These plans are to improve the link between Fargate and The Moor making it a nicer space for people to sit outside cafes and restaurants or to get involved in events in the heart of our city.

“It’s an exciting step forward building new, modern places for this and the next generation to enjoy.”

Martin McKervey, Chair of Sheffield Property Association, said: “We’ve so much happening in our city at the moment, and I think of Heart of the City, Castlegate, Fargate, West Bar, the list goes on. The Connecting Sheffield: City Centre scheme is really; really important it’s going to be pivotal to creating this new city centre experience that we all want Sheffield to have and that we all want to feel a part of.

“I also think this is very important for our economy, for jobs, for investment and for our businesses. And it’s also important for our visitors and for the people of our city who want to come to our city centre to have a wonderful and unique experience.

You can find out more about the plans for the city centre by visiting the Connecting Sheffield: City Centre website.