Why is Sheffield pedaling easy on bike hire?

Hello – and welcome to Thursday’s Tribune.

Go to any other city in the UK and you’ll see dozens of them. Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and even Nottingham have made extensive use of bike hire schemes available for people to pick up and use whenever they want. However, since 1,000 yellow Ofo bikes were rolled out and quickly withdrawn across the city six years ago, Sheffield Council has been unable to find another company willing to give us a try. So what are the reasons why Sheffield is pedaling slowly on bike hire? Is it the fear of vandalism, the city’s steep hills, or something else?

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Editor’s note: Thanks for sticking with us while Dan was out of action. Today’s piece is the story he was writing when he had the accident, which he was able to finish while working from home. When we said The Tribune likes to go beyond our stories, we didn’t necessarily mean two days in the hospital and a brand new hip, but here we are. If you want to read today’s article in full and get all the benefits of membership (including two additional newsletters per week and invitations to member events), sign up today using the button above.

🌳 The Sheffield Green Party should have a new candidate for the Sheffield Central constituency by this weekend after the party restarted the selection process. The current candidate, Alison Teal, has been suspended for the past 19 months after expressing “gender critical” views, which some say are at odds with Green Party policy. At a further hearing on Wednesday evening, local party members heard arguments that Teal should be reinstated as a candidate, but these were ultimately rejected. Members now have a choice between former councilor Rob Murphy, current councilor Angela Argenzio, Colin McCulloch and Ammar Aldaker, with the result due on Saturday. Members could also vote to reject the new process and reopen the nominations. However, if this were to happen, the party would be in a huge dilemma with no obvious solution.

🗳️ Now Then reports that two people were stopped from the Beighton vote at the last local election — the same number of votes that the Lib Dems won the seat by after a recount. In total, nearly 200 people were stopped from casting their ballots in Sheffield due to new rules requiring people to show valid ID at polling stations. The changes were introduced by the government last year, although there is little evidence that voter fraud is a serious problem.

🎭 Sheffield has was announced as the new home of English Touring Opera, as part of a program to relocate London’s artistic bodies. ETO already has existing connections and a strong audience in the city, built through its regular visits to the High School. The initial move will be to a temporary office base, which will be completed by October 2024, before a permanent move in Spring 2025. The shows will continue to repeat and open in London until the Spring 2026 season.

🎧 As I mentioned on Wednesday, this weekend sees the first Crossed wires The Podcast Festival is coming to Sheffield. A host of huge names will be performing over the weekend, including Jon Ronson, Katherine Ryan and Adam Buxton (in conversation with Self Esteem no less). And there will also be a full program of free fringe events, including BBC Radio Sheffield’s Football Heaven (with Steve Bracknall) and the award-winning Naked podcast.

🏳️‍🌈 This Saturday, Sheffield will finally get a Pride back, six years after the previous festival collapsed in crime. The pride of Kelham will take place in ten venues across Kelham Island and Neepsend, including the Peddler, Yellow Arch and Alder Bar. All locations are completely free to attend and the event runs from 12pm until late. A Pride parade will take place from 1pm, starting at Kelham Island Museum and ending at the main stage on Burton Road.

🖼️ The Cultural Industries District has some of the most interesting street art and large-scale murals that Sheffield has to offer. On Sunday, join Andy, the founder Sheffield street art, on a guided tour of the area. During the tour, you will discover the murals and hidden gems found in the CIC, as well as learn about the stories of the artworks of the past. Tours last between one and two hours and cost £7.50 each. Meet at Pinball Park on Brown Street at 11:00am.

By Dan Hayes

I’d been riding around Sheffield on my rented e-bike for just over two hours, but I’d already fallen in love. I’d set myself a challenge – to ride the steepest hills in town – and the trusty Raleigh Motus made it all easy. Blake Street in Upperthorpe, famously the steepest road in a town full of very steep roads, was the most serious challenge, but we still managed it with relative ease. A final quick jaunt up the slow and steady climb of East Bank Road proved an ordeal by comparison. I was only five minutes from home.

Manor Top was where the e-bike honeymoon ended. Coming down City Road, my front tire caught one of the tram tracks, which had been made slippery by a recent shower. As the bike lurched sideways, I tried to control it. But it wasn’t good. I didn’t know I was hurt until I stood up and my left leg felt like it belonged to someone else. Crawling along the side of the road, a friendly face appeared. “Are you okay?” said one of my fellow Park Hill residents. “I think I need an ambulance,” I replied.