Go-ahead for junction changes to remain

The junction of Moorhead and Pinstone Street is heavily used by buses, but is also one of the busiest pedestrian routes in the city, linking its two main shopping areas, Fargate and The Moor.

In the early stages of “enabling” work for the Sevenstone scheme, the junction was altered to prohibit right turns, a move which proved controversial with some drivers and retailers in the area.

Council chiefs decided to hold a poll to gauge support on reverting to the old system, but 53 per cent of the 600 people who took part voted for the status quo.

Coun Leigh Bramall, the council’s transport spokesman, said: “It was a close vote but overwhelmingly apparent was the views of the city retailers. As a council we are committed to working with businesses to grow our local economy.

“We have listened to everyone’s views and the Moorhead junction will keep the same arrangement it has had for the last four years.”

Nicholas Atkinson, of Atkinsons department store on the Moor, supported the vote outcome and said: “Going back to the old way would be a retrograde step for pedestrians.”

In March this year, Sheffield Council’s chief executive John Mothersole said the Sevenstone scheme was still on the drawing board but would be scaled back from the original £600m blueprint.

Work ground to a halt after private developer Hammerson, which redeveloped Birmingham’s Bull Ring shopping centre, said it could not move forward with the project because of the financial downturn.

Sheffield Council has now provided an extra £10m in order to buy all the land required for the scheme, and work is now scheduled to begin late in 2013 or early in 2014.