Action call over Sheffield street where drivers 'abandon cars in road' to park
Exasperated garage boss Mark Hardy has seen it all when it comes to dodgy parking.
Since Sheffield Council closed Carlisle Street at one end, years ago, he says he has seen the craziest parking as motorists take advantage of a road that no longer goes anywhere.
He said: “It’s been a problem for quite some time, but it’s just getting worse and worse.
“People just abandon cars in the middle of the road. The road is frequently blocked by cars that have been parked. And on top of that, the litter is terrible and there are rats.”
The problem is said to have arisen since the junction between Carlisle Street and Spital Hill was closed. Locals say that was so customers could safely access one of the supermarket entrances at the nearby Tesco.
There are double yellow lines, but they are widely ignored.
“Ideally we’d like to see a big police and council traffic enforcement” he said. “People just leave their cars here because it’s a cul-de-sac now. But it makes it difficult for customers.
“We would love to see the road re-open both ways. It would alleviate traffic problems and help bus routes. It was originally closed so people could walk to Tesco, but the entrance that side is closed now.”
Police are aware of the problem.
South Yorkshire Police told The Star:“We are aware of issues relating to parking and congestion in the Carlisle Street area and our officers will issue traffic offence reports to vehicles causing an obstruction.
“The enforcement of parking on double yellow lines is by the local authority, not the police, with certain exceptions existing for those with blue badges.”
They say officers continue to carry out regular patrols of the local area and encourage anyone with concerns about crime or anti-social behaviour to report it on 101, via the police website or by calling 999 in an emergency, including when a crime is in progress.
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Sheffield Council says its officers will co-ordinate with South Yorkshire Police about the problem and its sustainable communities officers will visit the area to assess it.
It added: “Carlisle Street is patrolled by Civil Enforcement Officers five days a week. It has been a no-through road for around 20 years. We issued 46 penalty charge notices (PCNs) on this road in January 2026.”
Suspected abandoned vehicles can be reported at: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/pollution-nuisance/abandoned-untaxed-vehicles
Litter, including drugs-related litter, can be reported at: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/pollution-nuisance/fly-tipping-and-litter/report-fly-tipping-public-land or at https://www.fixmystreet.com/