History Transport in Sheffield

1 history

1.1 history
1.2 19th century
1.3 20th century present

history
early history

the earliest known roads in sheffield area date roman occupation of britain between 43 , 410 ad. romans built fort @ templeborough c55. 2 roads built fort. icknield street ran south towards derby, , road ran south-west brough-on-noe near hope in derbyshire. exact course of these roads unknown both have passed within modern boundaries sheffield. in centuries after end of roman occupation sheffield area @ border of anglo-saxon kingdoms of northumbria , mercia. village of dore (literally door) lay on important route between these kingdoms.

a map of sheffield in 1736

following norman conquest of england castle established in village of sheffield c1150. sheffield began grow small town, first bridge built on river don (lady s bridge) , street pattern persist centuries laid out. lady s bridge may represent main route out of sheffield in era, travellers followed wicker , climbed spital hill follow ancient dyke called roman rig mexborough. may route sheffield described in sir walter scott s ivanhoe. route south passing through little sheffield, heeley, , newfield green, gleadless moor existed 1692, difficult route follow. there route west, known long causeway, followed old roman road toward stanage edge, sheffield remained relatively secluded, fact may have influenced choice of sheffield imprisonment of mary, queen of scots, in 1570.

in 18th century, turnpike roads built improving sheffield s connections outside world. turnpike chesterfield built in 1756 , through ringinglow chapel-en-le-frith or buxton constructed in 1758. roads built barnsley, tickhill, worksop, intake , penistone. baslow turnpike (abbeydale road) opened in 1805 , glossop road opened in 1821. in 1774 wooden waggonway laid on distance of 2 miles duke of norfolk s collieries town, later relaid cast-iron l-shaped rails john curr; 1 of earliest railways use type of rails.

a map of sheffield in 1832


19th century

the opening of sheffield canal in 1819 opened sheffield large-scale transportation of freight. followed sheffield , rotherham railway in 1838, sheffield s first railway station opening @ wicker. first main line railway station in sheffield opened in 1845 @ bridgehouses sheffield, ashton-under-lyne , manchester railway. line extended new station, sheffield victoria station in 1851, , wicker station replaced sheffield midland station in 1870. horse tramway opened lady s bridge attercliffe in 1873, later extended brightside , tinsley. further horse tramway routes constructed hillsborough, heeley, , nether edge. there unsuccessful trial of steam trams in 1877 , 1878. due narrow medieval roads tramways banned town centre. improvement scheme passed in 1875, led first major alterations medieval street plan, pinstone street , leopold street constructed 1879 , fargate widened in 1880s. 1875 plan called widening of high street, disputes property owners delayed until 1895.

the s&sy navigation company formed in 1888 intention of purchasing of waterways owned manchester, sheffield , lincolnshire railway. after 7 years of negotiation, accomplished in 1895, , navigation formed amalgamation of component waterways included stainforth , keadby canal, river don navigation, , sheffield , tinsley canal.

20th century present

railways in sheffield (1930)

the first electric tram route ran nether edge tinsley, opening in 1899. electrification of rest of system followed after, , last horse tram ran in 1902. in 1910 sheffield tram routes covered total of 39 miles, subsequent extensions increase 48 miles 1951. tram routes started abandoned , replaced buses 1952. when last public service tram ran leopold street beauchief on 8 october 1960 occasion marked parade of 15 trams (three of preserved @ national tramway museum in crich). beeching axe led closure of great central railway route london in 1966, followed woodhead route manchester in 1970. left victoria station obsolete; closed on 5 january 1970 , station buildings demolished in 1989, leaving wicker arches on stood standing. proposals new tram system first appeared in 1970s. after deliberation routes selected , construction of new system, named sheffield supertram started in 1991. first line, running castle square meadowhall opened on 21 march 1994.

south yorkshire county council (sycc) created in 1974, comprising several neighbouring metropolitan boroughs; sheffield, barnsley, doncaster , rotherham. metropolitan county councils created @ time, given responsibility provision of public transport. in case of sycc allocated new south yorkshire passenger transport executive (sypte). sypte assumed control of former local corporation bus fleets , took on coordinating role regarding services provided other bus operators , british rail in region, in addition becoming highway authority area. during period bus services received subsidy of 85% of operating costs, , low fares contributed increase in bus travel of 7% 1974–1984, compared 30% decline elsewhere in united kingdom.

the metropolitan county councils, abolished in 1986 but, despite disappearance of sycc, sypte remained, under control of passenger transport authority (sypta) included 4 borough councils involved. contrast, functions of local highway authority passed directly each of councils, , sheffield city council (scc) became responsible city s highways.

deregulation of uk bus services in 1986 brought end local authority s direct control of provision of local bus services, in essence leaving bus companies decide where, when , how run services, , compete commercially each other although sypte still maintains advisory role , funds running of non-commercially viable routes considered socially essential.