Background information about Manchester Road speed signs

We’ve been given a bit more information about the speed signs which were recently deployed – and removed – from Manchester Road.

The signs are known as Speed Indication Displays (SIDs) and form part of an ongoing speed awareness campaign.

In essence, a portable SID sign is able to detect the speed of oncoming vehicles with a set range and display an LED display back to the driver indicating the speed of that vehicle along with a happy or sad face depending on compliance with the prevailing speed limit.

In addition, the device can capture speed and vehicle flow data for future analysis.

The Road Safety Team at Sheffield City Council has developed a system of programmes and schedules for Speed Awareness Campaigns with some of the Community Assembly Areas whereby they provide the team with a list of sites where speeding has been a cause for concern either to residents or brought to the attention of officers by local Members.

The SID sign(s) are then rotated around these sites on an eight-weekly basis and data gathered to be assessed against ‘before’ data where available in order to assess their effectiveness.

The reason for this approach is that recent studies on the use of SIDs and Vehicle Activated Signs (VASs) have concluded that they are most effective when rotated around a number of sites as this reduces the likelihood of driver familiarity with a specific sign in a specific location.

Vehicle-activated sign on Manchester Road, Sheffield
Vehicle-activated sign on Manchester Road, Sheffield, now removed

New traffic-slowing measures on Manchester Road

Two vehicle-activated signs have been installed near the Broomhill end of Manchester Road to help slow traffic.

The radar speed signs are located on both sides of the road near Tapton House Road and Tapton Mount Close. The idea is that they will slow cars down by making drivers aware when they are driving at unsafe speeds.

As well as showing drivers how fast they are going, the signs also display a happy face for vehicles travelling under the speed limit and a sad face for those exceeding it. The speed limit for this stretch of road is 30mph.

Manchester Road has been affected by the roadworks in Broomhill and is currently only open for traffic coming out of town.

Vehicle-activated sign on Manchester Road, Sheffield
Vehicle-activated sign on Manchester Road, Sheffield

Vehicle-activated sign on Manchester Road, Sheffield
Vehicle-activated sign on Manchester Road, Sheffield