Agenda item

9.1

To report details of the consultation response to the Experimental Traffic Order for the Arundel Gate bus gate and the Furnival Gate bus gate, report the receipt of objections to the order and set out the Council’s response.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee resolves that:-

1.     the Arundel Gate and Furnival Gate Bus Gates Experimental Traffic Order (ETO) be made permanent as currently implemented and in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to continue to secure the air quality and public transport journey time benefits realised;

2.     objectors be informed of this decision; and

3.     further works to make the infrastructure associated with the bus gates permanent be delivered as part of the wider Connecting Sheffield City Centre scheme.

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

Sheffield’s regeneration is flourishing with the Heart of the City 2 being built, “Europe’s largest” food hall at Cambridge works now open, and the new Raddison Blu hotel, Leahs Yard and other developments opening soon. In parallel to these exciting new places to visit, the future plans for 20,000 new homes in the city centre and additional employment growth, require a public transport system to match. Arundel Gate is a key route for buses that travel across the City and to our South Yorkshire Neighbours too. Given the air quality and the journey time reliability benefits of the bus gates it is recommended that the current operating times are made permanent. Any reduction in operating hours at this time would reintroduce traffic, increase vehicle emissions and adversely affect bus delays at times when the Council is seeking to encourage people to travel sustainably into and around Sheffield to make use of these new venues as well as take advantage of what we already have to offer.

9.3.2

Air pollution is a major public health challenge that is damaging the health and life chances of people in Sheffield, contributing to the deaths of around 500 people a year in the city. Multiple places across our road network are in breach of legal limits for air quality with road vehicles (and particularly diesel vehicles), exposing communities to invisible but harmful concentrations of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO?). Arundel Gate has been identified as a hot spot for particular high levels of NO?.

9.3.3

Our response to this issue has been a tiered approach of measures which includes the CAZ-C, the Arundel Gate Bus gate and anti-idling measures. – with the bus gate having the greatest modelled impact on air quality improvements.

9.3.4

Modelling has shown that only with the introduction of all 3-tiered interventions, can we achieve clean air compliance so approving the bus gate on Arundel Gate to be made permanent allows us to stay on track for this.

9.3.5

As well as clean air benefits, bus journey times have improved, and we need to continue to improve sustainable access to our city centre, including the night time economy.

9.3.6

A permanent bus gate on Arundel Gate and Furnival Gate forms part of the ‘City Centre’ Transforming Cities scheme which is in the final detailed design stage and, subject to SYMCA approval, implementation of this transformational scheme will commence in early 2025.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

Removal of bus gates entirely

This would be contrary to the ministerial direction which the Council has received from the Secretary of State, where the Council is directed to implement a Clean Air Plan with measures that include the Arundel Gate bus gate. Modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance in this part of the City Centre is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the Bus Gate and Anti Idling measures. The 2023 AQ data shows that the bus gate on Arundel Gate is having a positive effect on emissions and both bus gates support improved bus performance. This would be contrary to the Council’s net zero commitment. Modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance in this part of the City Centre is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the bus Gate and Anti Idling measures.

9.4.2

Reduce hours of operation to 12 hours

As discussed in the report, modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the bus Gate and Anti Idling measures. By reducing the bus gate operating times we would be affecting our clean air ambitions. At present, given that not all of the monitored locations on Arundel Gate are compliant the full benefits of the 24hr bus gate in removing emissions from other vehicles is still required. The retention of the 24hr bus lane is therefore recommended and is in line with our Legal Clean Air Plan Direction from Government. . As discussed in the report, modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the bus Gate and Anti Idling measures. By reducing the bus gate operating times we would be affecting our clean air ambitions. We could also be introducing traffic and delays at times when we really want to encourage people to travel into and around Sheffield to make use of our growing night time offer more sustainably.

19.1

The Assistant Director – City Transport and the Principal Transport Planner – Programmes presented a report that provided details of the consultation response to the Experimental Traffic Order for the Arundel Gate bus gate and the Furnival Gate bus gate, reported the receipt of objections to the order and set out the Council’s response.

19.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee resolves that:-

1.     the Arundel Gate and Furnival Gate Bus Gates Experimental Traffic Order (ETO) be made permanent as currently implemented and in accordance with the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to continue to secure the air quality and public transport journey time benefits realised;

2.     objectors be informed of this decision; and

3.     further works to make the infrastructure associated with the bus gates permanent be delivered as part of the wider Connecting Sheffield City Centre scheme.

19.3

Reasons for Decision

19.3.1

Sheffield’s regeneration is flourishing with the Heart of the City 2 being built, “Europe’s largest” food hall at Cambridge works now open, and the new Raddison Blu hotel, Leahs Yard and other developments opening soon. In parallel to these exciting new places to visit, the future plans for 20,000 new homes in the city centre and additional employment growth, require a public transport system to match. Arundel Gate is a key route for buses that travel across the City and to our South Yorkshire Neighbours too. Given the air quality and the journey time reliability benefits of the bus gates it is recommended that the current operating times are made permanent. Any reduction in operating hours at this time would reintroduce traffic, increase vehicle emissions and adversely affect bus delays at times when the Council is seeking to encourage people to travel sustainably into and around Sheffield to make use of these new venues as well as take advantage of what we already have to offer.

19.3.2

Air pollution is a major public health challenge that is damaging the health and life chances of people in Sheffield, contributing to the deaths of around 500 people a year in the city. Multiple places across our road network are in breach of legal limits for air quality with road vehicles (and particularly diesel vehicles), exposing communities to invisible but harmful concentrations of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO?). Arundel Gate has been identified as a hot spot for particular high levels of NO?.

19.3.3

Our response to this issue has been a tiered approach of measures which includes the CAZ-C, the Arundel Gate Bus gate and anti-idling measures. – with the bus gate having the greatest modelled impact on air quality improvements.

19.3.4

Modelling has shown that only with the introduction of all 3-tiered interventions, can we achieve clean air compliance so approving the bus gate on Arundel Gate to be made permanent allows us to stay on track for this.

19.3.5

As well as clean air benefits, bus journey times have improved, and we need to continue to improve sustainable access to our city centre, including the night time economy.

19.3.6

A permanent bus gate on Arundel Gate and Furnival Gate forms part of the ‘City Centre’ Transforming Cities scheme which is in the final detailed design stage and, subject to SYMCA approval, implementation of this transformational scheme will commence in early 2025.

19.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

19.4.1

Removal of bus gates entirely

This would be contrary to the ministerial direction which the Council has received from the Secretary of State, where the Council is directed to implement a Clean Air Plan with measures that include the Arundel Gate bus gate. Modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance in this part of the City Centre is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the Bus Gate and Anti Idling measures. The 2023 AQ data shows that the bus gate on Arundel Gate is having a positive effect on emissions and both bus gates support improved bus performance. This would be contrary to the Council’s net zero commitment. Modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance in this part of the City Centre is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the bus Gate and Anti Idling measures.

19.4.2

Reduce hours of operation to 12 hours

As discussed in the report, modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the bus Gate and Anti Idling measures. By reducing the bus gate operating times we would be affecting our clean air ambitions. At present, given that not all of the monitored locations on Arundel Gate are compliant the full benefits of the 24hr bus gate in removing emissions from other vehicles is still required. The retention of the 24hr bus lane is therefore recommended and is in line with our Legal Clean Air Plan Direction from Government. . As discussed in the report, modelling shows that the only way that we achieve clean air compliance is with our “tiered” approach which includes CAZ-C, the bus Gate and Anti Idling measures. By reducing the bus gate operating times we would be affecting our clean air ambitions. We could also be introducing traffic and delays at times when we really want to encourage people to travel into and around Sheffield to make use of our growing night time offer more sustainably.