BJ.G.Harston, 70 Camm Street, Walkley, Sheffield, S6 3TR
	     Tel: 0114 233 2682  EMail: jgh@sigma.demon.co.uk
			  All Copyright Reservedb


		BSHEFFIELD INNER RING ROAD NORTHERN SECTIONb
		 BPenistone Road/Shalesmoor to Park Squareb

Introduction
These plans show draft proposals for completing the northern section of
the Sheffield Inner Ring Road from the Penistone Road/Shalesmoor juntion
to Park Square.  Currently, traffic between these two locations have to
pass along Shalesmoor, Moorfields, West Bar, Bridge Street and Castlegate. 
These roads are not suitable for this level of traffic, and most of them
are unsuitable for upgrading.  This proposal completes the northern link,
and by making it the A61(T) completes the Strategic Route Network from
Penistone Road to the Parkway.  Most of the route uses land that is
already vacant and mostly follows existing road lines.

Ball Street
The western end connects with the Penistone Road/Hoyle Street junction at
the end of the Penistone Road Improvement works.  Land is clear from here
to Ball Street bridge as new building has been away from the line of the
improved road.  Between the current Cornish Street/Penistone Road junction
and the current end of Ball Street is a car park which has been kept
clear.  Ball Street bridge will need widening/replacing on the western
side, aligning the road so as not to interfere with the building on the
eastern side of Ball Street.  Buildings will need to be removed at the
junction of Lancaster Street.  Neepsend Lane from its junction with
Rutland Road will be a one-way section of the B6074 westwards.  Lancaster
Street will be a one-way slip road to join the B6074 for north-bound
traffic from Ball Street.  The section of Neepsend Land from its Lancaster
Street junction will be a one-way slip road to the B6074 for south-bound
traffic from Ball Street

Burton Road to Nursery Street
Burton Road from its junction with Rutland Road will be a one-way section
of the B6074 eastwards. The land bounded by Burton Road, Harvest Land,
Mowbray Street and Neepsend Land is mostly vacant and no building should
need to be removed. Mowbray Street will be stopped up at its western end,
and be open to the westbound carriageway only of the Ring Road at its
junction with Harvest Lane.  Due to the historical topography in the
section to Nursery Street, the westbound carriageway will be Mowbray
Street and the eastbound carriageway will be Harvest Lane Bridgehouses. 
At Bridgehouses there is a retail petrol supply station which will need to
be removed.  The road here will allow the flow of traffic between
Commercial  Street and Pitsmoor Road (northbound) and Chatham Street
(Southbound).  If Commercial Street is made one-way northbound the access
from Chatham Street across the carriage and the slip lane from Nursery
Street could be removed or blocked up.

Nursery Street
Most of Nursery Street has ample land beside it to enable widening,
however the section from Chatham Street to Joiner Street is too narrow. 
Two alternatives could be used:
 i)  Build a platform over the River Don to take the westbound carriageway
 ii) Cut into the old goods station embankment and demolish the Holy
	Trinity Church and the Manchester Hotel Public House.
Of these two alternatives, I feel that the second is better.  The side
roads on the northern side of Nursery Lane will be stopped up with the
exception of Spitalfields, and Joiner Street.  At the junction with the
Wicker there is sufficient land available for a full roundabout junction,
with the ring road continung to Block Street.

Block Street to Park Square
There is sufficient land available on the northern side of Block Street
for it to be widened.  There is a retail petrol supply station in front of
the tower block at the junction with Victoria Station Road.  This will
have to be removed.  There should preferably be six lanes (three per
carriage) on this section.  This may be slightly difficult on the Exchange
Place (late Corn Exchange) section depending on exact ground measurements.

Road Classification
The current Ring Road is classified as the A6134.  This section should be
classified as the A61(T).  This will complete the Strategic Road Network
from Penistone Road to The Parkway and complete the Trunk Road link. 
Shalesmoor and Moorfields should be declassified to the B6079 (as an
extension to Imfirmary Road).  West Bar, Bridge Street and Commercial
Street should be reclassified as the A57, pending plans to improve the
Brook Hill to Park Square A57 route.

Tying in with Public Transport
Currently (1994), it is difficult to make extensive public transport
considerations due to the extreme over-use of the Haymarker/Waingate route
and the apparent reluctance of the bus companies to work out a more
sensible routine stratady.  The following, however, should be implemented:
  *  Haymarket/Waingate/Lady's Bridge bus-only routes, with suitable
	signing at The Wicker.
  *  Castlegate one-way bus-only for westward traffic, with suitable
	signing at the Blonk Street junction.

Funding
Designating this section as the A61(T) and declassifying Shalesmoor to
Bridge Street will make the project become part of the National Trunk Road
Network and therefore funding will be direct from the Department of
Transport.  This will mean that the local authority will not need to
extend its own budget

Notes on the Park Square to Granville Square section
This section may prove difficult to implement.  The two main ideas so far
have been to follow Sheaf Street and Shoreham Street/Suffolk Street; or to
tunnel under Granville Street.  Following Sheaf Street will degrade links
between the bus and train stations.  Tunnelling will be difficult to plan
as there is a railway line in the way at both ends.  I also personally
think that road transport should keep clear of tunnels due to exhaust fume
build-up and other problems.

See Also
Inner Ring Road Eastern Section Proposals
Broad Lane Improvement Proposals
Public Transport Routine Proposals.

Copies
Detailed copies are available on request and on the production of an
Ordnance Survey Duplication License.