Agenda item

6.1

The Committee received a report of the Interim Executive Director, Place, on the changes made to Pinstone Street in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, and the future plans for this area of the city centre.

6.2

In attendance for this item were Councillor Douglas Johnson (Executive Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport), Councillor Ruth Mersereau (Executive Adviser, Climate Change, Environment and Transport), Mick Crofts (Interim Executive Director, Place), Tom Finnegan-Smith (Head of Strategic Transport and Infrastructure) and Matt Reynolds (Transport Planning and Infrastructure Manager).

6.3

The report made reference to the changes made to the highway in the core city centre area, in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, in order to create more circulation space, which included the closure of Leopold Street and Pinstone Street to motor traffic, except for emergency vehicles and permitted access.  The report contained statistical information in terms of bus stop accessibility and city centre footfall, in comparison with other Core Cities and city centre bus journey times.  The report also contained details of proposed Grey to Green landscaping works to be introduced in the city centre, a map showing proposed Connecting Sheffield steps on Pinstone Street and Arundel Gate, bus access and details of how the proposals aligned with the other city centre programmes.  Appended to the report was an Equality Impact Assessment.

6.4

Members of the Committee raised questions, and the following responses were provided:-

·        The main aim of the various schemes was to improve access to, and through, the city centre and to improve the quality of the environment.  It was accepted that access to the city centre and its environment had been poor for a number of years, and it was hoped that the proposed schemes would help to significantly improve both these things. One particular aim was to make it attractive for people who are not cycling now.

·        In terms of access to specific locations in the city centre, such as the Radisson Blu hotel, drop-off and loading bays were being considered as part of the scheme.  Vehicle access for the Radisson Blu Hotel would be on Burgess Street. There were also proposals to address the issue of access and loading for businesses on Pinstone Street, which was likely to be similar to the current arrangements in operation on Fargate.  Officers were working closely with colleagues working on the Heart of the City scheme and the Future High Streets Fund scheme to ensure that all the proposed improvements were integrated.

·        The main issue with regard to the free electric shuttle bus operating in and around the city centre was one of routing.  Officers were working with the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE), in connection with a bid to the Department for Transport for funding for low emission buses, and an electric bus could form part of this bid.

·        Considerable work was being undertaken in connection with the future of the John Lewis store and car park but, at the present time, there were no immediate plans for the re-opening of the car park.  Any proposals regarding the car park would not fall within the scope of the Connecting Sheffield scheme

·        The core change to Pinstone Street would be the same as it is now, as it would be in the Connecting Sheffield project.  Wider changes were planned on Arundel Gate and Furnival Gate, and continuing changes on Rockingham Street.  On Pinstone Street, the core traffic management arrangements would remain the same.  There would be a north-bound bus gate on Arundel Gate, which would allow access up to the Novotel, and a further bus gate proposed on Furnival Gate, just in advance of Matilda Way.

·        There were always going to be some people who benefited from the proposed changes, in terms of access to and through the city centre, and those who would find access more difficult.

·        Sheffield had performed better than most Core Cities in terms of the recovery in footfall in the city centre following the Coronavirus pandemic.

·        Consultation on the proposed schemes had been undertaken in December 2020 and, as part of the development of the Connecting Sheffield programme, officers were very conscious of the effect of the pandemic on people’s lives. A number of shops and businesses in the city centre were re-opening at the time of the consultation, and a large part of the consultation was held online.  Information leaflets had been distributed to residents and businesses in the city centre area. A series of online engagement events had also been held with interested groups and organisations.  The response to the consultation had been fairly significant, with comments having been received from a wide range of individuals, groups and organisations. There may be further consultation on the details of the proposed schemes.

·        Whilst the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) attached to the report now submitted related mainly to the plans on Pinstone Street and the wider social distancing measures, there was a specific EIA for the project, which had been updated and developed as the project had progressed.

·        Sheffield had led the way in a number of exemplar projects, such as Grey to Green, and the plan was to use the ethos of such projects, and link it to the city centre proposals. Active Travel was clearly a key element of the process, and providing high quality, clear, coherent and consistent routes was vital to the project’s success.  The aim was to provide a clear, coherent route through the city centre, together with high levels of public transport priority, and closing Pinstone Street had helped to improve some bus journey times.

·        The proposed schemes included green planting and sustainable urban drainage for flood management measures based on Grey to Green designs.

·        With regard to Hostile Vehicle Mitigation, the need to protect space that high levels of people would be in was very important.  The emergency measures were implemented to ensure there was sufficient external space for people, such as to allow for queuing outside banks. Other such measures included Tudor Square, where it was considered vital to have sufficient, outdoor space for people visiting the theatres, and which included permanent counter-terrorism measures.

·        Details of the different levels and gradients in the city centre could be provided.  As part of the accessibility work undertaken, officers had followed the inclusive mobility standards.

·        Details of the number of Sheffield residents having a disability would be forwarded to Members.

·        As part of the consultation process, whilst no-one had specifically been on those buses included as part of the 36 bus routes that had been changed, to seek the views of customers,  people were asked whether they were public transport users or not.  The consultation was shared with Transport User Groups, via the SYPTE and bus operators.

·        Service requirements had been identified in the design of the projects.  Service requirements regarding the Radisson Blu Hotel had been included in both the emergency works, and there was a servicing route for all businesses on Pinstone Street, shown on the plans included in the report now submitted.

·        The Council had undertaken considerable work, which had included working with the bus operators, to improve bus emissions.  The Council had also secured funding from the Government’s Clean Bus Technology Fund to upgrade more of the city’s bus fleet to Euro 6 standard, which represented a significant improvement.

·        It was accepted that improvement in footfall in the city centre following the relaxation of Government restrictions was not solely due to the closure of Pinstone Street, but simply due to a trend which had been mirrored in other cities.  However, the increase in footfall was not as high in those cities having higher levels of office accommodation due to staff not returning to their offices on a regular basis. This had also affected patronage levels on buses in such cities.  Reference was made to a letter from Councillor Paul Turpin (Executive Member for Inclusive Economy, Jobs and Skills) to the Committee, highlighting the benefits of keeping Pinstone Street and Leoplold Street closed to traffic.

·        The South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service were statutory consultees regarding any proposed Traffic Regulation Order, and the Service had been consulted on the proposed plans.  The Service would also be consulted on the more permanent plans.

·        The creation of a coherent City Centre Plan was work in progress, and would involve a number of different elements, including the Heart of the City scheme, Transforming Cities Fund, Connecting Sheffield and Future High Streets Fund, as well as the Bus Service Improvement Plan.  There were also a number of other related issues to consider, such as anti-social behaviour, green spaces and Grey to Green works.

·        It was accepted that given all the different elements, and complexities involved in the various schemes, it was difficult to keep the public up to date, and involve them in the overall process.  There was a draft plan which explained all the various different elements of change in the  city centre, which would lead into a broader consultation with all interested parties, including the public, on the longer-term plans and wider central area.

·        All local authorities had received a letter from the Minister of State for Transport, in July 2021, regarding the active travel measures funded through the Government’s Emergency Active Travel Fund, and also referring to broader transport funding issues.  It made specific reference to the premature withdrawal of those schemes funded through the Active Travel Fund,  warning that any premature withdrawal of schemes could affect future funding. There was an element of risk in terms of the current proposed schemes, in that there were time limits set for the completion of such works.  The withdrawal of the scheme at Shalesmoor would not result in any financial risk to the Council as this decision had been made prior to the current Government guidance being announced in February 2022, which would not be retrospective.

·        There were no demographic details relating to the footfall figures, although there was a link in the report now submitted to the Centre for Studies data, who were responsible for modelling across urban cities, and which may hold some data regarding demographics.

·        Any potential impact of the current proposals across the city  would be discussed with the Sheffield City Region, and possibly with the Department for Transport. This would include the Connecting Sheffield Programme, The Sheaf Valley Cycle Route and the Active Travel Fund 2 submission (Attercliffe to Darnall, East Bank Road and Abbey Lane/Crookesmoor crossings.

·        There had been considerable improvements in terms of bus times and reliability due to the bus re-routing measures in the city centre.  There was still a requirement for further discussion, at a regional level, regarding further improvements to the bus network.

·        In terms of the service routes, it did not refer to all the areas highlighted on the orange routes on the plan in the report now submitted, but would also include Cross Burgess Street and Surrey Street, and this is where the servicing would be provided from.  The loading bays would be used much in the same way as Fargate, with loading allowed between certain times.  Should emergency access be required, this would be managed by the City Centre Management Team, by use of rising bollards and/or barriers.  The zero emission bus funding that could support a free electric bus had gone through an expression of interest stage, and a full business case would be submitted to the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.

·        At the present time, there was no certainty as to the bus route to Pounds Park. 

·        As Pinstone Street was the most popular walking route through the city centre, this was the reason why it had been targeted for the social distancing measures.

·        There could be more public promotion of the benefits of the schemes, including through visuals and artwork on hoardings and barriers.

·        Pedestrianisation allowing cyclists was not deemed to be pure pedestrianisation, and allowing vehicles into a pedestrian space would have to be designed appropriately.  The Government have been clear that local authorities should not be promoting schemes which allowed vehicles onto pedestrianised areas.

·        It had been clear from discussions with the SYPTE and bus operators that the operators had wanted to continue using Pinstone Street, but they also valued the potential economic benefits which could be derived from having a strong, thriving city centre.  They supported the proposed bus gates, which they considered would help to provide improved journey times and reliability.

·        The scheme developed does not accommodate buses travelling past the Town Hall, on Pinstone Street.  However, if the scheme does not progress, and buses are reintroduced onto Pinstone Street, there would be a need to redesign the scheme, and consider all the implications of bus use, including the risks around funding.

·        The Committee would be informed as to whether or not Public Health had been consulted on the proposals.

·        Cycles had been formally recognised as mobility aids by the Council in 2019.

6.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)           notes the contents of the report now submitted, the information now reported and the responses to the questions raised;

(b)           thanks Councillor Douglas Johnson, Mick Crofts, Tom Finnegan-Smith and Matt Reynolds for attending the meeting and responding to the questions raised; and

(c)           requests that (i) the report be referred back to the Co-operative Executive, together with the issues now raised and highlighted by this Committee, specifically with regard to accessibility, inclusivity and travel routes through the city centre, and (ii) Councillor Douglas Johnson (Executive Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport) and Councillor Cate McDonald (Executive Member for Finance and Resources) give consideration, as part of the budget process, to funding a free, electric bus, to run on a route to be agreed, through the city centre.