Supertram line extensions? Sheffield to Rotherham?

[Mecky 10]

Maybe a link running from Manor Top down Prince of Wales Road to the Arena and joining the line out to Meadowhall.

 

Maybe a line from university up Glossop Road, Clarkhouse Road and out through Ecclesall Road South/Carterknowle Road.

 

Maybe a line through the Wicker, Pitsmoor, Hospital and out to Shiregreen/Ecclesfield

[Planner1 438]

http://trams.wikia.com/wiki/Sheffield_Tramway

 

Manchester seem to have had a large amount of success in seeking government funding to increase the Metrolink system up there, but it seems they have spent the best part of 2 decades trying, maybe we should just keep applying for funding?

 

The Government have allowed Manchster to adopt a different method of transport governance in their region, which has allowed them to pool funding from many different sources to increase the size of their transport funding "pot" and lever in other funding.

 

Sheffield and Leeds city regions are looking at similar transport governance methods in light of the Government's intention to devolve major transport funding regionally. This is probably the best hope we have for obtaining the level of funding needed for tram extensions.

[dosxuk 10]

Supertram was way too expensive for what we got. Could have had a monorail system covering 2 to 4 times as much of the city for the same money without digging up all the roads.

 

Would love to see your sums for that statement...

[1978 14]

The original Sheffield tramway system was constructed using an existing road network that was still mostly used by horse drawn traffic. The volume of motor traffic we have today is very substantially greater than it was when those original trams were withdrawn. We should remember the diversions when the Supertram network was constructed.

 

Beneath those roads we used to have brick, stone and cast iron sewers, water mains, gas mains and a few electric cables in a haphazard maze. Now we have far more of all of them, plus Sheffield combined heat and power pipes, cable TV wiring, and telephone wires in copper as well as fibre optics. Before laying new tram track all the underground services need to be dug up and most of it would need to be replaced and realigned. Otherwise any faults could stop the trams for weeks!

 

100, even 60, years ago we lived much nearer to our places of work. (In my own case I was 23 before I had to use anything but leg muscles to get to school or work.) Large numbers of people travelled from mostly terraced properties to schools, local shops, large factories and central offices. Trams were ideal for this.

 

Over the last 100 years we've dispersed housing and workplaces so that the car is the only practical means of transport for the majority in the Sheffield area. Other means of transport can be used, but unless the cost of motor transport goes up very greatly, public transport will be the last resort of that majority.

 

If the relative cost/convenience between public/private transport changes an expanded tram network might become feasible - but I wouldn't expect that too soon.

 

When the prices of houses in places like Dore and Fulwood start to drop, car ownership falls back, and prices in the inner city areas start climbing, maybe then a tramway expansion might become a more realistic option.

 

In Sheffield it might be better to build an underground system in the central area, thus avoiding the need to dig up so many roads. But where's the money coming from for any of it?

[dosxuk 10]

In Sheffield it might be better to build an underground system in the central area, thus avoiding the need to dig up so many roads. But where's the money coming from for any of it?

 

A bored out tunnel based underground would be hideously expensive. We could probably run trams down every main street in the city for the same cost.

 

Much cheaper is cut-and-cover, where you dig up the roads, build your tunnel, then put a lid on it and reinstate the roads. While possibly getting towards affordable, it would cause even more disruption than the moving of facilities and laying track as done with a surface tramway.

[1978 14]

A bored out tunnel based underground would be hideously expensive. We could probably run trams down every main street in the city for the same cost.

 

Much cheaper is cut-and-cover, where you dig up the roads, build your tunnel, then put a lid on it and reinstate the roads. While possibly getting towards affordable, it would cause even more disruption than the moving of facilities and laying track as done with a surface tramway.

 

EXACTLY. We can't afford it, so had better concentrate on solutions we can afford.

[bebopaloola 10]

I would like to see the existing Herdings tram continue all the way to meadowhead round about

[1978 14]

I would like to see the existing Herdings tram continue all the way to meadowhead round about

 

Please explain how many miles this would be, precisely what route it would take, how many houses and people it would help, and how the cost could be justified.

 

The route from Meadowhead via Herdings into town is a lot longer than you might imagine. Unless it went through the Jordanthorpe and Low Edges estates it wouldn't pass many extra potential users who'd want to use it.

 

If it did run through the Low Edges estate from the fire station, across Jordanthorpe, then round the ring road, directly to Meadowhall it might be useful.

 

The No 1 bus goes most of that way hourly and is hardly used. I suppose a frequent and reliable tram might get more business, but once again the financial cost would be prohibitive.

 

Personally, I'd like to see the No 1 bus frequency increased to every 20 minutes (not trying to be greedy) and extended across Jordanthorpe to Low Edges and Bradway terminus, or even Dore station, to make a better outer circle, but SYPTE don't think that's one they'd support - and First and Stagecoach clearly don't either.

[bebopaloola 10]

Please explain how many miles this would be, precisely what route it would take, how many houses and people it would help, and how the cost could be justified.

 

The route from Meadowhead via Herdings into town is a lot longer than you might imagine. Unless it went through the Jordanthorpe and Low Edges estates it wouldn't pass many extra potential users who'd want to use it.

If it did run through the Low Edges estate from the fire station, across Jordanthorpe, then round the ring road, directly to Meadowhall it might be useful.

 

The No 1 bus goes most of that way hourly and is hardly used. I suppose a frequent and reliable tram might get more business, but once again the financial cost would be prohibitive.

 

 

Personally, I'd like to see the No 1 bus frequency increased to every 20 minutes (not trying to be greedy) and extended across Jordanthorpe to Low Edges and Bradway terminus, or even Dore station, to make a better outer circle, but SYPTE don't think that's one they'd support - and First and Stagecoach clearly don't either.

 

 

I agree with the tram going through lowedges and jordanthorpe and I thought it may help with congestion through woodseats, and would also give a direct route to meadowhell.

[zenx 10]

I agree with the tram going through lowedges and jordanthorpe and I thought it may help with congestion through woodseats, and would also give a direct route to meadowhell.

 

Agreed 100%

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

Trolleybuses, Ma'am.

[jgharston 11]

I agree with the tram going through lowedges and jordanthorpe and I thought it may help with congestion through woodseats, and would also give a direct route to meadowhell.

An idle bit of doodling some years ago gave me this map. I'd like to work out how to get to the Northern General. Herries Road was originally built wide enough to have a reserved-track tramway along it (as was Halifax Road), but at the hospital end the road was never upgraded. Also, as the Brightside estate developed the population centre moved northwards, Herries Road is really too far south to serve enough population, a route crossing Brightside would really have to go somewhere a bit further north.