Letter: A process of disconnecting Sheffield

“Having recently visited St Vincent’s catholic church in Crookes, I’m keenly aware how problematic the access has been left as part of the scheme.
By Dominic Green
Published 30th Jun 2023, 06:53 BST
Designs for Tenter Street show Hawley Street becoming a dead end.Designs for Tenter Street show Hawley Street becoming a dead end.
Designs for Tenter Street show Hawley Street becoming a dead end.

The current arrangement seemed otherwise to be moving towards something approaching bearable.

Please bear in mind that the access to St Tim’s on Slinn Steet and Binghams on Western Road has been restored so it appears to be very unjust to single out this last remaining community organisation for such restrictions. Whether it has been overlooked and forgotten or presumed insufficiently important as to offer the same level of consideration, it’s terribly prejudicial by omission.

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Your active travel pdf map appears to show that the long closed connection between Pickmere Road and the top of School Road as existing, but I can’t believe sure that this decision has been made on the basis of simply consulting this map(?). Having said that, it would be the only justification that I could imagine for maintaining the chicane that has been left in place on Pickmere Road and Sackville Road.

The diagonal road blockage on Pickmere Road as well as the remaining one on Townend St/Hands Rd. are really poor ways of altering the road layout here in Crookes. The Pickmere Road one is the worst, however.

I note that the Closed Shop appears to have gone, are you certain that limiting access within Crookes hasn’t contributed since it served food and has a car park, so clearly had a different offer when compared to the more solely student oriented ‘drinks only‘ pubs?

I cycle regularly in Crookes, in fact it’s my main and preferred option for travel (walking is second). I’m aware of the small and vocal lobbying of keen cyclists and the active approach they’ve taken to representing their preferences via surveys and participation in communication.

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Please don’t forget that a lot of the voices you might not hear quite as clearly are those who are much more likely to depend on community organisations such as the bowling club on Hands Road, or St Vincent’s.

After all, the scheme is called Connecting Sheffield but the closure of these roads is very much more a process of disconnecting Sheffield.

Dominic Green

Sheffield, S10

Related topics:St Vincent