Traffic study reveals driving around Sheffield is as bad as motoring in New York

Traffic lights at Leppings Lane junction with Penistone Road and Herries Road

Responding to a study by traffic analysts TomTom that found Sheffield drivers now spend 36 minutes a day stuck in jams, people highlighted their own examples of congestion and slow journeys. They said the problem wasn’t limited to cars, and people using public transport also suffered delays.

The study rated Sheffield – the fifth largest city in the UK in terms of population – the seventh worst city for congestion, making it as bad as New York. But it was better than Belfast, Edinburgh, London, Manchester, Brighton and Bournemouth.

Matt Turner at the newly installed crossing on Penistone Road, Sheffield which appears to show a green man as safe to cross when traffic is still passing by at speed
Picture by Dean Atkins — Matt Turner at the newly installed crossing on Penistone Road, Sheffield which appears to show a green man as safe to cross when traffic is still passing by at speed Picture by Dean Atkins

Timothy Barker said work should have been done to anticipate congestion years ago.

“The Victorian road system has hardly changed, with bus lanes, bike lanes, way too many sets of lights, crossings straight after roundabouts that never let them clear – but the alternative public transport of passenger-chasing buses clogging the roads up isn’t the answer,” he said.

“It needed inspiration and foresight years ago to have the vision to see what was coming but, as ever, Sheffield, along with many other cities, just bumbled along letting it get worse and worse, with half measures along the way to try to cure it, which have just caused more mayhem.”

But Sarah Shale said there was ‘nothing wrong’ with the road system.

Child safety zones around the city of Sheffield
Burngreave area of Sheffield traffic calming measures — Child safety zones around the city of Sheffield Burngreave area of Sheffield traffic calming measures

She added: “It’s the fact that the roads are absolutely crammed with the thousands and thousands of cars, vans and lorries.

“But people will blame the roads because they want to be in the comfort of their cars and not find an alternative way of travel.

“It doesn’t matter what city you live in and how efficient the road systems are. If there is too much traffic it just simply isn’t going to move, there won’t be a steady flow and the more traffic that’s added then the more gridlocked it becomes. It’s not rocket science.”

And Ryan Rees said things could be worse.

Traffic and parking around Hillsborough Primary School.

“Seriously, whoever researched this needs to live in Birmingham,” he said. “You don’t know a traffic jam until you’ve been stuck in one in Birmingham.

“I used to live there and Sheffield in comparison is a delight to drive during rush hour.”