Council gives update on plans to remove Broomhill parking permanently

Restrictions to parking on Fulwood Road, Broomhill were introduced in August 2020 as part of the council’s emergency travel scheme as a temporary measure to widen the footpath and allow for social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, as reported in this week’s Sheffield Telegraph front page, a public consultation was held to decide whether to make the changes permanent.

Coun Douglas Johnson, executive member for climate change, environment and transport, said: “When the council changed the parking bays in Broomhill last year to facilitate social distancing, lots of residents gave positive feedback.

“A consultation was set up to ask those who live and work in the area whether they want to bring the parking spaces back or if they would prefer to carry on using the space differently.

“The survey was open for six weeks and we received just under 900 responses. We will now use the responses received to make a decision before Christmas.”

There are a total of 11 parking bays at the shops in Broomhill, two of which are disabled bays. The disabled bays are still in use, leaving nine bays which are restricted in the precinct.

Opinion on the parking restrictions has been divided – Liberal Democrat councillor for Crookes and Crosspool, Tim Huggan, opposed the changes when they were brought in last year and is against making them permanent now.

He said: “They have managed to remove car parking without making it any better for walkers or cyclists.”

In addition, Martin Greaves, owner of Williamson Hardware, a shop on Fulwood Road, said that the restrictions caused chaos and caused him to lose out on trade at commuting times.

However, Angela Argenzio, Green councillor for Broomhill and Sharrow Vale, is in favour of the restrictions and said that the majority of comments she had received about the issue were positive. She acknowledged that councillors will have to listen to the views presented in the consultation.

https://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/people/there-are-no-simple-answers-when-it-comes-to-the-future-of-sheffield-street-usage-3401090

Another contentious change to road use was made to Pinstone Street, which was closed to traffic in June 2020, and councillors wrangled in September over whether to reopen it.