Greens Slam Road Widening Plan

15th July 2007

Sheffield Green Party today condemned plans to go ahead with road widening on St. Mary's Road, claiming that it will make traffic congestion even worse. The plans were today (Monday 16th) presented to the City Centre/South-East Planning board.

Green Party Transport Spokesperson Rob Murphy said, "The best part of £400,000 is to be spent on widening a 200m stretch of road to three lanes. The end result of will be a queue of traffic (including buses) in the right hand lane in order to allow cars in the central and left hand lanes to keep moving."

"There are simple things which could be tried first and which would save money. For example, if there are problems with buses turning right into Shoreham St, one solution would be to make it a bus only turn and provide a wider, short flare to allow that. Cars could take a trip round Granville Square and turn left into Shoreham St instead.

"This scheme is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. £400 000 would pay for at least 4 pedestrian crossings. Or it could be spent on schemes which will really reduce congestion, by encouraging walking and cycling and actually reducing the number of cars on the roads".

ENDS

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