Greens Party call for 20mph zone expansion as crossroad leaves community “cut off” from centre
Sheffield Green Party are urging the city council to expand its 20mph zones to a busy inner city road which “cuts off” off its community from the centre.
Castle Ward candidate Ruth Abbey says poor visibility and speeding cars leaves walkers “scared” to use a key crossroads to reach the railway station and city centre.
Ruth says most pedestrians don’t dare risk crossing Shrewsbury/Talbot Street at Norfolk Road due to the junction’s position at the crest of a hill directly on a bend.
However with no crossings within hundreds of metres people living within the ward are effectively cut off from the city centre.
Speaking about the junction, she said: “Anybody coming along Norfolk Road has very, very poor visibility of what’s coming up from the left.
“Quite often you see people shuffling out into the road itself to see what’s coming - which is a very dangerous manoeuvre. The speed at which the traffic is going is creating a barrier here which is difficult to cross.”
With the closest pedestrian crossings up to 200 metres away in either direction, Ruth added: “It’s surprising how much of a risk people will take rather than go to a much further away crossing.
“It makes it feel as if our part of Sheffield is cut off from the centre of Sheffield.”
During the last couple of years the city council has expanded 20mph zones to scores of roads.
However wpolice data shows there have been 45 reported traffic collisions on Shrewsbury Road, Talbot Street, Duke Street, City Road and Granville Road during the five years 2020 - 2025.
Ruth added: “These figures are based on police reports, so the real figure must be much higher as many collisions are not reported to the police.”
Ruth has started a petition to include Shrewsbury Road and Talbot Street in the 20mph zone - which will be presented to the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee after the local elections.
Sheffield City Council has been contacted for a comment.