Parking scheme back on agenda at Sheffield’s popular Kelham Island after two year delay

The Kelham Island and Neepsend parking scheme is back on the agenda after it was originally mooted in 2019.

The council is now looking at introducing a controlled scheme that would operate seven days a week between the hours of 8am and 8.30pm throughout the area.

Parking has been a problem for years at Kelham Island. It’s popular for long stay commuter parking because it’s close to the city centre and parking is free and unrestricted.

But this leads to a lack of spaces for customers of local businesses as well as residents.

MORE: 'Kelham Island is the best place to eat vegetarian in Yorkshire'

Why has this taken so long?

A controlled parking zone was due to come into force in March 2020 to manage congestion and reduce the amount of time drivers spend searching for spaces – which in turn would cut down on pollution. But the £624,000 scheme stalled.

At the time, officers said: “In October 2019, Cabinet approved a scheme to design and introduce a controlled parking zone scheme in the Kelham and Neepsend areas, funded from Local Transport Plan, with an estimated completion date of March 2020.

“The project delivery is currently behind schedule due to the need to focus resources on the Transforming City projects which have time limited funds.”

How do I have my say?

The council has now launched a consultation which is open until February 24.

Parking pressures have continued to grow in a number of areas of the city as they have developed.

The council says there are high levels of requests for schemes and it has already introduced a number of permit parking zones, mainly immediately around the city centre as well as Hillsborough, which suffered from high levels of unrestricted commuter parking.

The council recently confirmed that temporary road changes, created in Kelham Island during the pandemic, will become permanent.

A short section of Alma Street, outside the Fat Cat pub and Ball Street bridge, will remain closed to vehicles. And part of Green Lane, between Cornish Street and Penistone Road service road, will be made one-way except for cycles.