Warning of disruption as £2bn road scheme enters new phase

Yesterday, people in Tinsley said they welcomed the forthcoming works under the “Streets Ahead” scheme, which aims to improve the condition of every road
across Sheffield over the next five years.

For the remaining 20 years of the 25-year project, contractor Amey will be in charge of maintaining the newly-revamped streets.

Improvements in Tinsley, the area around Meadowhall and junction 34 of the M1 motorway, are set to begin this month and will last until July.

A spokesman for Amey said that, during that time, new streetlights will be installed, roads will be resurfaced and pavements will be made smoother.

Graham Whitfield from the Tinsley Forum said yesterday that he welcomed the move.

He said: “Tinsley Forum works to improve the quality of life for local people, so we are looking forward to the Streets Ahead work starting in Tinsley.

“We believe it will give people an increased sense of pride in their local community and environment.”

Coun Jack Scott, Sheffield Council’s member for the environment, added: “It is great that local people are looking forward to the benefits that Streets Ahead will bring.

“We have had great feedback so far and hope that the Tinsley Forum and other local people are pleased with the results.

“We are excited to be rolling out our programme of highway improvements across the city, making our roads better and safer for everyone.”

Streets Ahead got underway in the Ewden Valley and Shiregreen areas in August last year, before moving on to Carbrook in Attercliffe and major routes in the north west of the city, such as Loxley Road, after that.

As well as Tinsley, works are also set to begin soon in areas including Crookes, Crosspool, Broomhill and Manor.

Graeme Symonds, network director for contractor Amey, said: “We will be installing new streetlights as part of our early work in Tinsley and will be resurfacing roads in July.

“Most of the roads we will be working on are residential, some quite narrow, so we will contact people in advance to ask them to move their cars.

“We will work as quickly as possible and ask that people bear with us while we make these important improvements.”

A spokesman for Amey said that the firm would be “phasing work across the city to limit the potential disruption in any one area.”

They added that contractors would be back to improve main roads in Tinsley in 2017.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Council announced that two consultation sessions are due to take place in the Winter Garden later this week, along with an exhibition, on the new City Centre Masterplan.

These sessions, to take place between 10am and 5pm on Friday, and Saturday, mark the begin-
ning of a six-week consultation period.

Council leader Julie Dore said: “The city centre is crucial to driving forward our economy and creating jobs and growth.

“Nationally, the economy has stood still over the past three years which has inevitably impacted on Sheffield, but we remain determined to deliver our vision for a vibrant, 21st-century city centre and we have set out plans which demonstrate how we will meet our ambitions for the development of the city centre over the coming years.

“The masterplan will shape Sheffield’s regeneration for the next decade and beyond.”

Anyone who is unable to visit the Winter Garden for the exhibition can see the plans and take part in the consultation online at www.sheffield.gov.uk

Once agreed, a spokesman for the council said, the masterplan will be used as a framework for guiding regeneration and investment.