Campaign grows to switch the building of HS2 station to Sheffield city

[foxy lady 10]

I'm assuming that bringing HS2 into Sheffield would require a massive tunnel and a line in through Chesterfield with the last 10 miles or so passing through built up areas. It's not really practical to run high speed trains through built up areas so I would imagine the HS bit would disappear and it would become at train line.

[ricoblade 10]

I'm assuming that bringing HS2 into Sheffield would require a massive tunnel and a line in through Chesterfield with the last 10 miles or so passing through built up areas. It's not really practical to run high speed trains through built up areas so I would imagine the HS bit would disappear and it would become at train line.

 

From what I understand, the HS line will not go through Chesterfield itself and will go Trowell-Killamarsh-Tinsley as currently spec'd so no need for a big tunnel.

[Eater Sundae 12]

Leave it at meadowhall. Better transport links next to the M1 etc. Trying to get to Sheffield town centre is a.nightmares then trying to park near the station another nightmare and after all what is there really in Sheffield city centre a part from flat land and empty buildings?

 

There was an item on radio Sheffield, yesterday, about how far Sheffield is behind cities such as Leeds and Manchester, and how it is falling even further behind as they grow and we don't. They are better able to attract business to their city centres than Sheffield is, and this gives them the boost that attracts shops and a busy city centre. ie there is no demand, in itself, for a shops led city centre. Shops and trade are a by-product of successful business.

 

I can understand Sheffield wanting to bring HS2 right into the city centre for the reasons above The problem from an overall HS2 perspective is that the more it diverts into city centres, then the less "HS" it becomes. Also, having a station in Sheffield will not be as good as Meadowhall for Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley. I can understand Sheffield fighting its corner, but the bigger picture (and HS2's perspective) is more likely to favour Meadowhall, IMO.

 

Edit. I reckon the figures can be stacked up to favour either station. Whichever is chosen will require a lot of associated infrastructure changes, including link roads, parking, other transport links. In the end it becomes a political decision.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Eater Sundae

[truman 10]

From what I understand, the HS line will not go through Chesterfield itself and will go Trowell-Killamarsh-Tinsley as currently spec'd so no need for a big tunnel.

 

How would it continue it's route after Sheffield..would it have to "retrace" it's steps? How much extra time would it add to the London/Leeds journey?

[nightrider 13]

I don't see the logic either as there is perfectly fast tram from Meadowhall. Also it would mean it would bring more investment into Tinsley, Attercliffe and Darnall as well as Rotherham. They are talking of building more houses in that area and there is this new super factory developing in Tinsley. Wouldn't it make more sense to boost that area in any way possible? The Victoria station idea if you look at drawings is some hideous sort of monorail thing hanging over Victoria Quays. Haven't we got enough muddle there? Though in all honesty I don't see point of HS2 at all as modernising the present line would give almost as fast a route without all the upheaval and considerably cheaper as well. Is it worth spending billions on 15 mins faster train journey than a modernised line. Parliamentary committee didn't think so and said a lot of statements were being made about the line with no cold hard facts to back them.

 

Isn't the real reason for HS2 capacity? You can't get extra capacity by modernising an existing line as far as I understand? And if you are going to build something new, why not make it faster?

[ricoblade 10]

How would it continue it's route after Sheffield..would it have to "retrace" it's steps? How much extra time would it add to the London/Leeds journey?

 

Looks like it goes out of Victoria on the Penistone line then cuts across to rejoin the proposed route to L***s. Can't find more detail at the moment.

[E-Man Groovin 27]

There was an item on radio Sheffield, yesterday, about how far Sheffield is behind cities such as Leeds and Manchester, and how it is falling even further behind as they grow and we don't. They are better able to attract business to their city centres than Sheffield is, and this gives them the boost that attracts shops and a busy city centre. ie there is no demand, in itself, for a shops led city centre. Shops and trade are a by-product of successful business.

 

I can understand Sheffield wanting to bring HS2 right into the city centre for the reasons above The problem from an overall HS2 perspective is that the more it diverts into city centres, then the less "HS" it becomes. Also, having a station in Sheffield will not be as good as Meadowhall for Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley. I can understand Sheffield fighting its corner, but the bigger picture (and HS2's perspective) is more likely to favour Meadowhall, IMO.

 

As somebody said above, the growth potential of Sheffield far exceeds that of Rotherham, Barnsley, Doncaster etc. Furthermore, if that growth potential (of Sheffield) were to be achieved it would have a strong positive economic benefit on Rotherham, Barnsley etc. Large cities can grow into economic powerhouses due to factors such as clustering etc. in a way that towns cannot

 

Try to imagine a 2050 Sheffield growing into something like a Manchester for example.

 

Conversely, if Sheffield were to miss out on that massive growth opportunity (partly as a result of HS2 being situated at Meadowhall), then it's possible that the increased growth that some are arguing for in places like Donny and Barnsley will in no way make up for what would have been lost by not going down the Victoria route. South Yorkshire will remain an (economic) backwater and many here would still be wondering why.

[wrinkly67 10]

If I felt that HS2 would actually help Sheffield to become a commuter town then I would be all in favour of it.

 

Commuting works both ways! I would predict that most of the commuting will be our young Northerners heading South to the much better paid jobs and some sort of future. Where does that leave us?

I don't want the HS2 - or at least the route now stated. Here on my doorstep in S21 we will lose all prospects of the reinstatement of the Chesterfield Canal - houses and a local hotel/restaurant - all of which have had a lot of hard work put into them. Not to mention the swathes of lovely countryside destroyed. For what? A train service that we will see and hear but will only be accessible after an eight mile bus journey to reach a station!! Add the time for that and it doesn't make the journey any quicker.

So if its all meant for "business", I'm still not understanding.

The prediction is trains every few minutes each of which will hold hundreds of people. Who are then these thousands of people who are going to want to travel North every day? What businesses will they be travelling to? We're losing all our major industries and I don't see how these are being replaced in any meaningful size or numbers. Our young ones are left with no apprenticeships and no real future. We seem more intent on building houses - which our young ones can't afford. Do we have to have HS2 first in the hopes that businesses will then evolve up here? Perhaps someone can explain.

But even worse, and I can see it happening, could be if only the southern half gets completed, the money runs out for us Northerners, as often seems the case, and the North/South divide becomes even more so.

[foxy lady 10]

From what I understand, the HS line will not go through Chesterfield itself and will go Trowell-Killamarsh-Tinsley as currently spec'd so no need for a big tunnel.

 

How does that get you to the city centre?

 

---------- Post added 18-02-2016 at 12:34 ----------

 

Isn't the real reason for HS2 capacity? You can't get extra capacity by modernising an existing line as far as I understand? And if you are going to build something new, why not make it faster?

 

Actually the Beeching plan was to increase capacity on the railways. What slows trains and reduces capacity on main lines is branch lines that cross the main line. Every slow train crossing the Sheffield London Line forces a gap that cannot be used by traines heading North South.

 

You could get a massive increase in line capacity and speed by eliminating these crossings. Stick the crossings on bridges and keep coal trains off the main lines.

 

It is astonishing to see old photos of places like Millhouses station where there were 4 lines. Now there are just 2, which means express services get held up behind every freight train and stopper. This happens right through the network.

Edited February 18, 2016 by foxy lady

[truman 10]

How does that get you to the city centre?

 

 

The same way they get there now?

[foxy lady 10]

The same way they get there now?

 

Which is?...

[truman 10]

Which is?...

 

Down the railway track....from Meadowhall interchange?

Edited February 18, 2016 by truman