Commuters and motorists are “braced” this week as a major reconfiguration of Sheffield station’s access roads begins, aimed at finally ending years of traffic chaos and air pollution.
Under the new plans, taxi drivers emerge as the “big winners.”
Black cabs will be granted “exclusive access to the under-cover pick-up area” directly by the station doors, while private hire vehicles are set to take over the current public set-down zone.
To streamline the flow of vehicles, a new one-way system will be implemented, forcing all traffic to “enter via Fornham Street and leave via Turner Street.” Other key changes include:
Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at East Midlands Railway, stated the changes would “ease congestion and improve air quality.”
She noted that the new layout will create a “smoother, safer way for cars to drop off passengers,” adding: “We hope customers and taxi drivers see a real difference accessing the station by car once the changes are live.”
The overhaul follows a period of tension, including a protest last year where taxi drivers refused to pay for annual permits.
Hafeas Rehman, chair of Sheffield Taxi Trade Association, welcomed the move, noting that the station has suffered from congestion issues for “at least 10 years.”
While acknowledging that some passengers may now have “further to walk” to reach the new public drop-off point, Rehman defended the plan: “At other interchanges around the country people have to walk much further compared to Sheffield, even after moving the drop-off to Cross Turner Street.”
The project, a joint effort between Sheffield City Council and East Midlands Railway, is expected to be fully operational this week.