5.1 Public Realm Design Guidelines

Access and Movement

There are a variety of ways to incorporate the cycle network into the road hierarchy.

Traffic management is a now crucial issue for every urban centre in terms of access to the city and circulation within. The ultimate aim of traffic regimes must be to maintain the vehicular access that is essential for the use and enjoyment of the city centre, while eliminating or reducing its adverse impacts.

• Aspects of traffic management which must be incorporated into the city’s strategies are:
  • Increasing the use of public transport;
    
  • Prevention or limitation of car penetration into central streets;
    
  • Measures to improve driver behaviour and reduce speed;
    
  • On street parking control and rationalisation of off-street parking;
    
  • Adequate disabled parking provision;
    
  • Accommodation of service deliveries;
    
  • Provision for emergency services;
    
  • Taxi ranks provided in key locations;
    
  • Cyclist amenities;
    
  • Promoting pedestrian safety and priority.
    
    
• Traffic management schemes to improve vehicular access to the city and to reduce congestion must not be undertaken at the expense of pedestrian movement. Streetscape projects must be advanced only when they facilitate greater accessibility and pedestrian and cyclist friendly environments.
  
  
• Rationalise open lot carparks and consolidate parking in well-designed multi-storey carparks. These carparks could be located either inside the ring road or on the periphery of the main pedestrian routes of the city centre. Strategic location of carparks will increase footfall in the city’s activity areas.
  
  
• The internal design of these car parks should create a safe, well lit internal environment which is welcoming for both driver and pedestrian. Consider free or subsidised parking to promote their use, keep parking off the street, and generate more pedestrian activity in the centre of Sheffield.
  
  
• Wherever possible, incorporate active edges at the street level of multistorey carparks to avoid blank facades. Multi-storey carparks must be set appropriately within the adjacent urban grain, with architectural detail and storey height in scale with adjacent development.
  
  
• Where open lot carparks are to be retained, they must be carefully landscaped and surfaced so that they complement their streetscape context. Low level perimeter landscaping can provide an edge to these sites and trees can be placed to break up large expanses of hard surface.
  
  
• The existing public transport network needs to be integrated and rationalised to provide a more efficient service and encourage increased use. The bus system should be integrated with the supertram network to improve connectivity between the bus and tram interchanges and railway station.
  
  
• Sheffield’s cycle network must be maintained, improved and expanded. This includes provision of appropriately marked and signed cycle lanes on all major roads, or shared use of the footway when appropriate.
  
  
• Cycle routes should be identified by the use of contrasting surfacing materials to give the cycleway high visibility to the cyclist, vehicle driver and pedestrian. These materials should complement the adjacent pavement or road surface. Changes in surface material should be minimised and suitable for cyclists with particular attention paid to maintenance and reinstatement of cycle lanes.
  
  
• Cyclists must be provided with secure and well designed cycle parking stands and lockers at interchange points. Changing facilities in new developments will assist in promoting a cycling culture in Sheffield.

Cycle racks should be located close to entrances

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