The Plough, Crosspool: a location for extra parking spaces
A long-running dispute over parking in the residential area near Claremont Hospital has moved closer to being resolved.
Staff from the hospital have been leaving their cars on nearby roads leading to claims by residents of blocked driveways and on one occasion an ambulance being denied access because of double parking.
The residents’ case was taken up by local councillors Anne Murphy and Geoff Smith who have fought a near two-year battle to end the disruption.
Now a range of off-road parking places are being provided for staff by the private hospital on Sandygate Road.
Councillor Murphy said: “The problem is that there is no staff parking on the hospital site and some staff were moving across the road and parking on Sandygate area roads, which is a really lovely residential area.”
“Parking on grass verges, parking across driveways, even on a driveway in one case. An ambulance was stopped from getting through by double-parked cars. The residents had a lot of problems.”
Following representations by councillors Murphy and Smith and the residents, the hospital management arranged for staff parking at the nearby Crosspool and District Youth Sports Trust and at the Masonic Hall, in Crosspool, with park-and-ride service.
Some staff refused to use the places but a meeting with councillor Murphy and residents at the hospital alerted the management to the problem.
Now the hospital is to provide extra spaces at The Plough on Sandygate Road.
Councillor Murphy said: “There’s now no reason for staff to park in the Sandygate area. There may still be some parking by hospital visitors or patients at times but hopefully this should be an end to staff all-day parking.
“It has been more than been 18 months and three meetings with the hospital but it now seems that we have achieved something that will help the residents and provide parking for hospital staff.
“We have made the hospital management take us and the residents seriously.”
Local residents have been in contact with local councillors and council candidates, as well as raising the issue at Crosspool Forum, to express their views that the stretch of Manchester Road through Crosspool should have a speed limit of 30mph rather than the current 40mph.
Two of our councillors believe it would be safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers/passengers in a residential area and that it would have no discernible impact on the overall time of car journeys through Crosspool and into the city.
They recognise that the council has many requests for traffic measures, and that funding cuts mean that it can only undertake a limited number each year. However, they accept in principle that there should be a reduction in the speed limit and ensure that it is considered seriously for early implementation.
If you’re in support of the idea then you can contact Councillor Anne Murphy or Councillor Geoff Smith to say:
We the undersigned support the proposal for a 30mph speed limit on Manchester Road in Crosspool and urge the Council to make implementation a priority.
Construction begins on the Manchester Road Tesco Express
Residents living near the former petrol station on Manchester Road have received a letter sent on behalf of Tesco Express confirming that work on the convenience store is underway and will continue until June.
The letter states that planned work includes the decommissioning of the fuel storage tanks, demolition of the kiosk, the building of new foundations and a two-storey building, alterations to the footpath and access point to the shop and a new car park.
Working hours during construction will be 8am-6pm weekdays and 8am-1pm Saturdays.
Last year a planning application was submitted to add a two-storey side extension and alter the roof design to create three flats and extended retail space on the ground floor for a chemist.
The changes to the plans include:
the main ridges are changed to pointed apex form
the west gable is changed to matching coursed stonework where not completely obscured by the adjoining building garage construction
the front dormers have been reduced to align more closely with first floor windows below using thinner wall construction
the waste bin compound is now shown with stone pier and timber gate enclosure
refuge marking is provided to the side entrance to the show and additionally marking to the relocated first floor stair approach
You have until Wednesday 17 February 2016 to comment on application 15/04122/FUL on the council website.
Broomhill Community Library will be celebrating National Library Day on Saturday 6 February 2016 with a series of events.
Come along between 10.30am and 4pm to join in celebrations – admission is free:
all day: cake stall, refreshments, book stall, Friends of Botanical Gardens stall, Rhyme & Reason books, Children’s activities – face painting, crafts
at 11am and 2pm: Berlie Doherty (8-12 year olds); Alan Brown (4 – 7 year olds); Jill Sinclair – illustrated talk on ‘Rediscovering the library garden’.
The removal of the current Sandygate Road white lines and the painting of a white line in the original position on the road is scheduled for Tuesday 2 February. Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 February have been allocated as additional work days in case of weather problems.
The off-centre markings on Sandygate Road will be repainted and put back to their previous location following a review by Sheffield city council’s road safety auditors.
The lines were positioned on the newly-resurfaced road with the intention of improving the safety of cyclists being overtaken going up the hill and to slow traffic coming down the hill.
Crookes Councillor Geoff Smith took this up and has now confirmed that the lines will be put back back to where they were before. He said: “The auditor has recommended that the centre white line should be put back where it was and this has been accepted by the council and Amey.
“As yet I do not know when the work will be carried out but I have urged that it should be done as soon as possible. Thank you to the residents who pursued this issue.”
The off-centre markings on Sandygate Road will be reviewed by Sheffield city council’s road safety auditors early next year.
The lines were positioned on the newly-resurfaced road with the intention of improving the safety of cyclists being overtaken going up the hill and to slow traffic coming down the hill.
Since then Crookes Councillor Geoff Smith has been following it up. He explains: “Transport Planning in the council suggested the marking change as part of Cycle PFI Opportunities and Transport Planning provided the brief for Amey designers. Amey then designed the changes and Amey Road Safety auditors audited the design changes before they were implemented.
“After the Open Meeting I raised this again with the council’s traffic engineers. They informed me that after zone works are complete a zone audit is carried out by Amey’s road safety audit team. They are qualified road safety auditors. The audits comply with national guidance and are specified in the contract between Sheffield city council and Amey.
“This particular zone may not be fully completed until May of next year. So I have requested that, given the public concern, an audit of the Sandygate Road marking change is carried out on its own as quickly as possible, and that the outcome is made public.
“In this instance, as Amey have carried out the first audit, then there is an element of them doing the same thing twice, so this audit will be carried out instead by the council’s road safety auditors who have not had any involvement in the process. This provides more independence.”
The litter bins in Crosspool precinct will now be emptied twice a day rather than once.
This is a result of feedback to Crosspool Forum and action from Councillor Geoff Smith who contacted the Street Cleaning Manager to request the change.