New bus gates making Sheffield ‘medieval fortified city’ transport guru claims – thestar.co.uk
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Sheffield City Council is set to introduce two new bus gates on Furnival Gate from 19 September 2026, prompting transport consultant Peter Kennan to warn that the city is turning into what he sarcastically likened to a "medieval fortified city" with only limited points of entry for drivers. Kennan argues that the growing network of camera-enforced restrictions risks deterring more affluent out-of-town shoppers, undermining the council's own Heart of the City regeneration ambitions, even as the authority insists the changes will improve bus reliability and make streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
The new gates will stop cars heading towards Charter Row and redirect other traffic onto Pinstone Street, adding to an existing bus gate on Arundel Gate that alone generated £674,126 from 21,844 fines in 2025, making it the fourth highest-earning bus gate in the country. Kennan says his confidence that Sheffield could draw "higher net wealth" visitors is fading as access becomes more restricted, while the council points to more than 9,000 parking spaces still available in the city centre as evidence that access remains viable.
- Sheffield to add two new bus gates on Furnival Gate from 19 September 2026.
- Transport expert likens the restrictions to a "medieval fortified city".
- Existing Arundel Gate gate raised £674,126 from fines in 2025.
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Sheffield city council has been rolling out "bus gates" – short stretches of road where cameras stop most private cars from passing, while buses, taxis and cyclists are still allowed through. The idea is to keep buses moving reliably through the city centre and free up parts of it from through-traffic, as part of a wider transport strategy for the area.
The "medieval fortified city" comment comes from a transport expert who argues that these restrictions, taken together, are making it harder for drivers to cross the city centre directly, forcing longer diversions around the outside. Supporters of bus gates counter that they improve bus punctuality and cut congestion in busy areas, so the two sides broadly disagree on whether the trade-off is worth it.
This matters because Sheffield's approach reflects a debate playing out in many UK cities: how to balance public transport, cycling and reduced car use against the convenience of driving through urban centres, and who gets to decide where those lines are drawn.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Advocates of the new bus gates argue that prioritising buses over general traffic is essential to tackling congestion, cutting emissions and making public transport a genuinely reliable alternative to the car. They contend that without measures giving buses a clear run through the city, services become stuck in the same queues as private vehicles, undermining efforts to encourage a shift away from car dependency. From this perspective, short-term inconvenience for drivers is a reasonable trade-off for longer-term gains in air quality, road safety and a more efficient transport network for the whole city.
The case against
Critics, including the transport commentator quoted, argue that restricting through-routes for private vehicles fragments the city, making it harder and slower for residents and businesses to move between districts and imposing a de facto 'walled city' structure reminiscent of medieval defences. They worry this could harm local trade, increase journey times for those without practical access to buses, and disproportionately affect people with mobility needs or those living in areas poorly served by public transport. For them, the priority should be improving transport choice through better bus services and infrastructure rather than restricting existing routes, which they see as a blunt and disruptive way to achieve the city's aims.
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