No more number 22 buses for Nether Edge ! 
 
Update about changing service and city centre stops offered with thanks to a Nether Edge  resident and regular bus user....
 
"I'm sure you will be aware that there will be major changes to bus services in the city from Sunday 1 November. There was a consultation exercise during the summer, which possibly not too many people were aware of. I studied the proposals and came to the view that there was no major objection as buses between Nether Edge and town would be little affected, and the same applied to the 10/10A circular services which run to Heeley and to the Hallamshire Hospital (and beyond). As a result I didn't respond.
 
Among the changes is that First are replacing the long-standing service 22 with a new service 3. This was described in the consultation as a combination of the current 22 route between Nether Edge and the city centre and the current 76 between the city centre and Meadowhall. As such that wouldn't have caused a great deal of concern as relatively few people from this side of town travel through to Woodhouse or Richmond on on the current sereice, and the availability instead of a through service to the Northern General Hospital may be a useful compensation.
 
The final details have now emerged and I'm sure it will be of concern to many bus users in Nether Edge that service 3 will run via Arundel Gate in both directions. This means that the popular boarding stops at the Cathedral and the Peace Gardens will no longer be used by buses towards Nether Edge and that people will have to go to Arundel Gate to catch their bus home (almost certainly the one nearest to Castle Square, opposite the Mulberry Tavern, and the one at the top of Howard Street). I suspect very few people will be aware of this as it has not been publicised by either First or the Sheffield Bus Partnership, and wasn't apparent from the consultation. I have written to First to express my concerns, particularly as some people will find the Arundel Gate stops a less pleasant and safe waiting environment, especially at night, but there is no prospect of the present route being resumed - at least in the short term. 
 
Apart from that, the changes to buses to and from town are not too serious - the basic frequency is retained and in fact improved on Saturdays from every 15 to every 12 minutes. I did however express my concern that the return bus just after 11 pm is to be withdrawn - there will be a one-hour gap between a 2244 bus from Arundel Gate and the last one at 2344 - and that Sunday evening times will be completely different from those on Mondays to Saturdays. Again there is no prospect of any change to this in the short-term but if sufficient people are concerned and express their views it's something that First will have to look at.
 
A stated objective of the changes is to improve reliability - something which is certainly needed - but we shall have to wait and see whether any improvement is achieved!
 
Also worth mentioning is that most journeys on the 'circular' (10/10A) between Nether Edge and the Hallamshire Hospital will in future run via Endcliffe Vale Road and Broomhill, adding a few minutes to the journey time to the hospital but giving a quicker journey to Broomhill.
 
 
I mention these points as a NENG member and regular bus user but also as a former employee of South Yorkshire PTE which gives me the benefit of an understanding of how these things are organised! I hope this is of interest/use...."