Petition for tram to extend to Northern General Hospital to serve "totally disconnected" areas
“Large parts of the city, particularly in the north, are totally disconnected from the network”
A Sheffield MP is petitioning for the tram network to be extended through to Northern General Hospital as she argues it will serve “tens of thousands” of passengers.
Gill Furniss has started the petition after years’ of discussions of what areas the Supertram network need to be extended to.
Stocksbridge and even Chesterfield have been suggested as possible destinations, but the Brightside and Hillsborough MP has listed Northern General on Herries Road as an important focus for an extension.
She is calling on residents to sign her online petition to make sure this extension is prioritised for future investments in the network.
Sign Gill Furniss’ petition here
A statement on the petition adds: “Nearly 10 million people rode the tram last year.
“Yet large parts of the city, particularly in the north, are totally disconnected from the network.
“Extending the tram to Northern General Hospital would provide a convenient, cheap, and climate friendly way for tens of thousands of Sheffielders to get to their careers, their check-ups, and their consultations.”
Under new devolution initiatives from Prime Minister Andy Burnham, regional mayors are set to get more power and funding to tackle local issues like public transport.
South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) already brought Supertram under public control in 2024, with mayor Oliver Coppard setting ambitious plans to improve transport across the region as he is also set to take over the bus network in 2027.
The proposal has been supported by Crookes and Crosspool councillor Minesh Parekh, adding that it would help with parking concerns around the hospital.
“It’s a cheaper, more climate friendly, more convenient way for people to get to work, get to check-ups and extends the tram to a part of the city it doesn’t reach - it’s a clear win-win for me,” he added.
He went on to say: “For many, the lack of public transport options mean people often feel like taking their car is their only option.
“There’s also I think it’s fair to say a lack of cycling infrastructure along the route as well and I’d hope if a tram line was being built that could be done in away that encourages more walking and cycling as well.
“I think it’s a really important conversation Gill Furniss has started about the need to increase connectivity where it doesn’t exist. The Supertram network is fantastic for the parts of the city it serves, but it’s a real shame that it doesn’t go further - the long term of the tram network has to be across the city if it is to be successful.
“Particularly places like Northern General where people have to travel along those routes, people want to travel along those routes and it’s really import and it’s really important that we give that extra mode of transport.”