FROM THE EDITOR: Quick bans aren’t the answer when we need Sheffield to unite

Broomhill is a gem in the crown of this city’s independent shopping neighbourhoods.

It is crammed with small businesses run by people who work incredibly hard, employ people living nearby, offer personalised customer service and products which they truly care about.

However, all of these shops and restaurants are only viable if they get enough customers through the door.

Broomhill is blessed with fairly reliable bus services, at least compared to many other areas of Sheffield. But the businesses there tell us that they also heavily rely on people who drive there to spend their hard earned cash.

Parking has been an issue in this area for as long as I can remember. You are lucky to chance upon a spot on the main road – so what will happen now they have been taken away?

I fully support making the hearts of our neighbourhoods more attractive with more green, less pollution and less danger of getting run over. I can imagine a Broomhill that is a much more pleasant place to be and encourages folk to spend far more time, and therefore money, there exploring the creative highlights.

Yet we also need to be realistic – this is a main road and as long as that remains the case, it is never going to be a pedestrian’s dream. I am sure I am not alone in worrying every time I have to cross that road because of the sheer volume of traffic. However, again in comparison to many Sheffield shopping streets, these don’t strike me as being particular narrow pavements so will the changes that came in to force yesterday even improve things for pedestrians?

One thing that Sheffield should have learnt by now is that we don’t bring the city together or make things better for everyone by simply blocking cars. It just isn’t a sensible answer when it stands alone.

Let’s have joined up thinking please because it is no good encouraging the city to shop local while at the same time doing things that discourage some shoppers. There must be a plan which gives alternatives while also really challenging all of our thinking and behaviours.