Wide-scale Hillsborough road closures planned on Sheffield Wednesday match days spark row

Eight streets around the stadium would be closed on ‘event days’ – including part of the A61 Penistone Road North – under proposals by Sheffield Council, which claims the new restrictions will improve safety.

There would be no waiting allowed on another five roads for 12 hours – between 10am and 10pm – on days when the ground is hosting events.

The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) proposed by the council has provoked concern among those living and working in the area, who claim it could render residents ‘prisoners in their own homes’ and cost business owners their livelihoods.

The council’s own traffic supremo, who is a Hillsborough ward councillor, claims he was only made aware of the proposals a couple of days before letters went out to residents.

Councillor Bob Johnson, cabinet member for transport, said: "I am a local resident so I have a good idea of what residents' feelings will be but I have to do the consultation and wait for people to tell me their views. I will not sign off a traffic regulation order against the wishes of residents. They are my priority."

A letter sent by the council to homes and businesses in the area states: “The restrictions are required for public safety and to accommodate emergency response vehicles on event days.”

The proposals will go ahead if no objections are received by the November 7 deadline, it adds, and should anyone object it will be up to the ‘cabinet member for highways’ to ‘decide how to proceed’.

Emma Lee, who has owned Emm’s Barbers on Leppings Lane for 25 years, said the proposals would hit her and many other business owners hard.

Leppings Lane is already closed before and after games, and the hairdressers shuts at 1pm on Saturdays, but Ms Lee said the additional restrictions would make it almost impossible for many customers to reach the salon on match days and her staff would struggle to make their way home.

“I've got a Sheffield Wednesday season ticket myself, so I'm not averse to football, but I don't see how it's acceptable to make you a prisoner in your own home or penalise your business just because you’re next to a football ground,” she said.

“This will have a very damaging affect on my business and other firms in the area, and could even leave me in a position where I have to lay off staff.

“It’s unfair and uncalled for. The ground has been there all these years without issue, and this all seems to have come about because of one report done by a safety group.

“Sheffield United and Barnsley fans exit into residential areas too, and there are exactly the same issues around both grounds as with Hillsborough, yet nothing's been done there."

Ms Lee added that she could understand restrictions being in place for a short time before and after games, but claimed there was ‘no logic’ to the 12-hour window being proposed.

Sheffield Wednesday was banned earlier this year from releasing home fans from the north and south stands onto Leppings Lane, with the restriction imposed following an investigation into the disorder which marred last season’s Steel City Derby.

The club has opposed the prohibition and many fans say it has only made things more dangerous, with one describing scenes following August’s game against Luton Town as ‘absolute carnage’.

Under the new restrictions being proposed, the following roads would be closed on event days: Leppings Lane (closures are already in place here on match days); Penistone Road North, between Herries Road and Parkside Road; Catch Bar Lane; Leake Road, Farndale Road; Bickerton Road; Fielding Road; Vere Road.

There would be no waiting on event days between 10am and 10pm on these roads: Herries Road, Herries Road South, Rawson Spring Road, Rawson Spring Way; Parkside Road.

In addition, there would be no waiting ‘at any time’ on Clay Wheels Lane, to the north of the stadium, where a coach parking bay would operate on event days.