Sheffield road closures plan in bid to focus on pedestrians and cyclists

The council plans to install cycle lanes and improved footpaths at West Bar

Roads in part of Sheffield could be closed to cars to make the area more cyclist and pedestrian friendly, the city's council has said.

Under the plans, the road layout at Neepsend, Kelham and the area around West Bar would be changed.

Road closures, one-way streets and banned turns are among the proposals.

But business owner Matthew Windle said he feared the planned changes would "kill trade" for firms after the recent launch of the city's clean air zone.

Sheffield City Council introduced its clean air zone on Monday, with drivers of taxis, vans, buses and coaches which do not meet strict emissions standards now being charged to enter the city centre.

If the new proposals for road layout changes go ahead, further footpaths and new cycle lanes would be created and a pedestrian crossing installed at the junction of Neepsend Lane and Rutland Road.

Meanwhile, work at West Bar would include a new roundabout prioritising pedestrians and cyclists, as well as cycle lanes on West Bar and Tenter Street and an upgraded ring road crossing, the council said.

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, committee chair for transport, regeneration and climate change, said: "Making it easier to walk and cycle is especially important in development areas where journeys are likely to be shorter.

"We want other methods of transport to be accessible, reliable - and one of the first things people think of when planning their journey around the city."

Sheffield City Council has outlined changes to the road layout in Neepsend and Kelham

However, some business owners have objected to the plans.

Mr Windle, who runs P&W Services on Neepsend Lane, said the changes would mean lorries delivering to sites in the area would not be able to avoid going through the new clean air zone - meaning an increase in delivery costs.

He said the plans would also mean his car repair business, which was established by his father nearly 60 years ago, would no longer get any passing trade after the road layout changes.

"One of the worst things for us is that we have lots of older customers who have been with us for years and they will no longer be able to navigate to our garage," he said.

"[The changes] are going to kill our trade, simple as that, and they are going to make it very hard for a lot of other companies."

The council has already applied for traffic orders to prioritise buses on Burton Road and Neepsend Lane, reduce traffic slow through Kelham, Neepsend and streets around West Bar, to put a 20mph (32km/h) speed limit on some streets in Neepsend and Kelham and to increase the speed limit on Harvest Lane, Hicks Street and Platt Street from 20mph to 30mph (48km/h).

A drop-in session to view the latest plans is due to be held on Tuesday at Kelham Island Museum between 13:00 GMT and 19:00 GMT.