Residents and businesses are being asked for their views about how we can improve our neighbourhoods in Sheffield, prioritise road safety, reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and make it easier to travel around our city.

Lots of residents across Sheffield complain about the traffic on their local roads, particularly when non-residents use them as so-called ‘rat-runs’.  Low Traffic Neighbourhoods are one potential solution to this, where car usage in residential streets is greatly reduced.

A number of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods have been implemented across Sheffield and in some areas, these have divided opinion amongst residents, commuters and businesses.

Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield Heeley is once again using the digital platform, Pol.Is to try and build some consensus around this issue and the implementation of these traffic controlling and road safety measures.

The new digital platform Pol.Is works in the opposite way to traditional social media. People will be asked to say whether they agree or disagree with a comment in relation to the implementation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and they will be asked to share their own comments in order to find a compromise position.

Pol.Is will then group people by how they have responded with the aim of bringing likeminded comments and thinking together and helping people work out what they have in common rather than what might divide them.

Louise Haigh MP, said:

“Pol.Is is a great platform to help build consensus around a single issue that could be seen as contentious. I used it earlier in the year in relation to climate change and what can be done to tackle it both nationally and locally. I had a great response with lots of helpful and insightful comments from the public.

“I now want to use this for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. I have been contacted by people who both agree with the installation of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and those who are against it. By using Pol.Is, I want to hear from people who might not currently be involved in the discussion, to share with me their views and thoughts on this issue.

“I want as many people as possible to engage with this conversation, only by discussing the key issues and points that people may have, can we begin to understand everyone’s point of view, and build consensus around this issue. So please have your say!”

To take part in the conversation and share ideas visit: https://pol.is/2eud9k8ubb