Sheffield, the largest city in Europe..

[apelike 10]

Sheffield, the largest city in Europe...without its own airport or any electric train services. Is this good, bad, or ugly?

 

Is it the largest City in size or population?

[sheff71 10]

We've already had an airport (and an international sports stadium) that have both been demolished within 25 years of being built - there just doesn't seem to be the required demand for these.

 

Having said that, setting up an airport with such limitations as it had, it was never going to work - at least at Donny they had the space to set it up properly, and when the M18 J3 link road opens (that's much more direct for the airport), it'll potentially be even quicker for Sheffielders to get there.

[Jonny5 10]

No airport isn't an issue. Manchester airport is an hour with a direct train.

 

The bigger issue is the slapdash approach to mass transit (electric rail/tram).

 

The traffic planners desperately want us on mass transit (rightly) but are faffing about with bus lanes and timetables when they should be concentrating on extending the Supertram to the South and increasing its current usage as well linking it to Chesterfield/Rotherham*/Barnsley.

 

I know money & routing is a factor but these are obstacles to be overcome and should not be constantly used as quick fire excuses.

 

 

 

 

*I believe that this is in progress. A good 20 years later than it should have been.

[AndrewC 307]

No airport isn't an issue. Manchester airport is an hour with a direct train.

 

The bigger issue is the slapdash approach to mass transit (electric rail/tram).

 

The traffic planners desperately want us on mass transit (rightly) but are faffing about with bus lanes and timetables when they should be concentrating on extending the Supertram to the South and increasing its current usage as well linking it to Chesterfield/Rotherham*/Barnsley.

 

I know money & routing is a factor but these are obstacles to be overcome and should not be constantly used as quick fire excuses.

 

*I believe that this is in progress. A good 20 years later than it should have been.

 

I'll admit you've correctly highlighted that money is a factor, but I think you're underplaying it as an obstacle. If SCC could get funding for all the supertram extensions they can dream of then they'd be built. Now. Financial and Political issues way above the heads of the council control all that.

 

And before we say, 'well Sheffield council need to be better at securing such money', just go and look at Leeds, or Birmingham; both cities commonly accepted as having better-quality, more business and government friendly councils in contrast to Sheffield, but both struggling to develop their mass transit properly (Birmingham's extensive heavy rail system aside). Birmingham's metrolink (?) is only just now getting the cross-city extensions it badly needed to connect up it's stations, and Leeds can't get anything. Trolley-busses the last I heard.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

I'll admit you've correctly highlighted that money is a factor, but I think you're underplaying it as an obstacle. If SCC could get funding for all the supertram extensions they can dream of then they'd be built. Now. Financial and Political issues way above the heads of the council control all that.

 

And before we say, 'well Sheffield council need to be better at securing such money', just go and look at Leeds, or Birmingham; both cities commonly accepted as having better-quality, more business and government friendly councils in contrast to Sheffield, but both struggling to develop their mass transit properly (Birmingham's extensive heavy rail system aside). Birmingham's metrolink (?) is only just now getting the cross-city extensions it badly needed to connect up it's stations, and Leeds can't get anything. Trolley-busses the last I heard.

 

Didn't Leeds start to build a tram network, but the money was pulled?

[sheff1johnny 10]

we had an airport but no one used it! maybe if had better destinations it may have took off. Sheffield the only airport that struggled to take off lol

[hicksy3 10]

Electric trains are coming someday-maybe.

 

 

Posted from Sheffieldforum.co.uk App for Android

[Obelix 11]

but there isn't anything in sheffield anyhow. they managed to build student accomodation for 50,000 students without much problem.

 

just how big a bomb do you think the ira used?

 

About the same size as a Luton van......

 

I remember it as being about 1.5 tons of ANFO. From the end of Corporation street street it was impressively loud when it went off.

Edited October 1, 2015 by Obelix
Enter the right street name!

[drummonds 10]

About the same size as a Luton van......

 

I remember it as being about 1.5 tons of ANFO. From the end of Corporation street street it was impressively loud when it went off.

 

so home made explosives and around 300 times smaller than the weight of bombs the germans dropped on sheffield.

[JFKvsNixon 11]

so home made explosives and around 300 times smaller than the weight of bombs the germans dropped on sheffield.

 

So do you believe that the amount of damage and re-building, which in todays terms was priced at £1.2 billion by the insurers is part of a conspiracy? If not what's your point?

[AndrewC 307]

Didn't Leeds start to build a tram network, but the money was pulled?

 

Not sure, but case in point if true.

[vwkittie 10]

I don't think we need an airport, you can get to Manchester really easily...

 

Local railways should definitely be reinstated wherever possible though, such as the one between Stocksbridge and Sheffield. It could allow a lot of people to commute quickly and cleanly. There could be a park and ride facility in the new Stocksbridge development that is currently being built, to allow people from the surrounding area to park up and then be in town in about 15 mins for work. They could do their shopping at the forthcoming big Aldi on their way home, it'd be great.