Content

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.