This Bramall Lane junction is one of the most dangerous in Sheffield – but not for long

There have been dozens of recorded collisions at the junction of Bramall Lane with Woodhead Road over the past six years.

In a report, Chris Galloway, principal engineer at Sheffield Council, said: “This location is high on the city wide collision savings priority list which focuses action to reduce clusters of killed and seriously injured casualties.

“Most of the 21 recorded injury collisions can be attributed to the complex nature of the junction and the demands on drivers to make decisions and undertake manoeuvres safely in a short period of time.”

A scheme will simplify the junction by physically closing off the end of Woodhead Road and Hill Street at its junction with Bramall Lane and banning vehicles.

A two-way cycle link will be maintained through the closure along with access in a westerly direction by coaches for away fans visiting Sheffield United’s football stadium.

The coaches will be escorted and at other times, lockable bollards will prevent access by vehicles.

A yellow box junction will help access to and from Harwood Street along with temporary signing to re-route traffic displaced by the closure of Hill Street at Bramall Lane.

While the scheme will improve the route for pedestrians on the western side of Bramall Lane, traffic which currently uses the junction to access Hill Street will be displaced onto other roads, namely Harwood Street.

Parking sections on Harwood Street will be replaced with pay and display bays and there will waiting restrictions on both sides of Woodhead Road and Hill Street.

Mr Galloway added: “The scheme will help reduce collisions at the junction and could lead to a reduction in traffic using Woodhead Road as drivers take alternative routes.

“It improves the pedestrian route on the west side of Bramall Lane. It will add a little to the journey time of those using Woodhead Road and increase traffic turning into and out of Harwood Street from Bramall Lane.”

One local resident, who wrote in favour of the scheme, said: “I have witnessed many collisions at this junction and had my building struck twice in three years, by cars trying to avoid a crash.

“We hear daily, the blaring of horns as people almost collide, and regularly witness near misses, and arguments between drivers, who have only just avoided a collision.

“Although it is a natural assumption that most collisions are caused by vehicles attempting to cross, or join Bramall Lane, the majority of collisions are in fact caused by stationary vehicles blocking Hill Street, as they wait to join the traffic trying to navigate the crossroads.

“This means that vehicles turning off Bramall Lane cannot proceed, due to the obstruction, and subsequently they, or – more usually - vehicles behind them, are involved in a collision.

“The one negative of this proposal, is the reduction of parking provision, even further, when it is already a big issue in this area, although I can‟t see any easy way to stop this, personally.”

A number of other options were considered including traffic lights but these were ruled out because of the delays it would create on Bramall Lane and would cost twice as much as the available budget.