Confusing Sheffield road markings to be redone in £6,000 blunder

Residents in Crosspool started a petition after the markings were painted on Sandygate Road off-centre, dividing it into a wide uphill lane and a narrow downhill lane, last October.

They feared the markings would cause a crash and people would travel down the wrong side of the road.

Sheffield Council insisted they were correct according to design and there was ‘no change in the available width of road’ and it would help to reduce motorists’ speeds.

Now the council has confirmed the markings will have to be changed after a road safety audit found there were several problems.

Coun Tony Downing, the council’s cabinet assistant for environment and transport, said they had ‘listened’ to comments made by the public and councillors then carried out a road safety audit before work in the area was completed as part of its Streets Ahead contract with Amey in June.

He added: “The audit has recommended that the central road markings should be restored.

“There were issues mainly around vehicles parked on the downhill section of the road, visibility and the increased likelihood of opposing vehicles coming into conflict.

“The road markings will be changed as soon as possible and once the weather allows.”

The council confirmed the cost of re-marking the road would be around £6,000.

Hundreds of people signed the petition and the markings were discussed at the latest meeting of Crosspool Forum.

Ian Hague, chairman, said: “Sense has prevailed and that is the main thing – it is just the cost of it.

“One of the things that was brought up at our meeting was that Amey wouldn’t be paying for it because they had done exactly as they were told to do so it is coming out of the council’s coffers, which are diminishing.

“In essence, the markings should never have been painted like that in the first place.”