Is Traffic congestion any worse now in Sheffield than 1993

[Haydn1971 10]

Spot on. This is the reason why the vast majority of people in Sheffield believe transport planning council officers like Haydn1971 are doing a rubbish job. The council refuse to live in the real world.

 

The real world dictates that there is only such much money available to provide facilities that people want, as I've said above, if we paid more in, we could have more out. Out of interest, have you done a poll, how do you know that the "vast majority" think this ??? I have my opinions on other jobs, perhaps your opinion on council officers reflects just a small minority, perhaps you could tell the forum what you do for a job, so that I can be rude to you !

 

Yes, poor buses and increased car ownership has lead to increased congestion (although the councillor for transport believes that congestion has stayed the same since 1993 - of course it has ) but the councils interference has made the situation worse, not better.

 

Again, we could go blue in the face, but I guess you just don't want to hear it, and how the blazes can you call building a entire tram network, dualling, Penistone Road, Brightside Lane, Greenland Road, the new IRR, numerous other schemes and investments since 1993 as "council interference" do you drive around with your eyes closed ???? Spend Billions of pounds on new roads and say nothing, close a minor road in Abbeydale and suddenly we turn into the antichrist !

 

Look at Woodseats as a prime example. It is undoubtably worse, yet the council still insist they have done a good job because buses can get into town 30 seconds sooner (never mind that it takes 5mins longer by car).

 

Woodseats wasn't just about journey times, it's also been about improving access to the shops, making it easier to cross the road and generally providing a better high street environment. Your perspective is purely from a car driver point of view, there are more factors to consider.

 

Never forget that council officers are paid for by the people of Sheffield. We deserve a good level of service that caters for our needs. This simply isnt happening at the moment. Forgive me if i don't sing the praises of the "hard working council officers and elected members of the council".

 

As a resident of Sheffield, I think I'm getting good value from our council, indeed, and I'm not the only one, didn't Sheffield get a maximum 4 star rating for performance in 2005 ? I think the "hard working council officers and elected members of the council" need a pat on the back for that !

 

Forumer, I look forward to your enlightened comments !

[Haydn1971 10]

IMHO it's the residents who live in a mile radius of the school who still insist on running the kids to school by car that cause the most congestion. Plus, at this end of town the massive increase in parked cars during university term time - perhaps students should be actively encouraged not to bring cars to Sheffield.

 

The school travel plans actively encourage parents to walk, cycle, use the bus. Whilst it is accepted that some parents have to travel greater distances, or perhaps have several children to drop at different schools in a tight time frame, many parents still insist on driving little jimmy to school, because they believe their child is at risk, yet by going in the car, they are only adding to that risk... As seen on other threads, a series of controlled parking zones are being introduced to encourage people to use other means of transport, be it car share, bus, walk cycle etc... the car might be the only option for some, so whilst solving the parking nightmare for residents, a problem is created for people with no alternative, you can't please all the people all the time sadly....

[sccsux 10]

and how the blazes can you call building a entire tram network, dualling, Penistone Road

 

The tram was contested by many residents & businesses throughout Sheffield when the scheme was first mooted.

 

Penistone Road never used to flood.

 

It does since the widening:(.

[sccsux 10]

a series of controlled parking zones are being introduced to encourage people to use other means of transport

 

Surely you mean:

 

"a series of controlled parking zones are being introduced to bully people to use other means of transport"

[Umeeksk 10]

Government funding for transport projects is awarded on a County-wide basis to South Yorkshire via the South Yorkshire LTP partnership. They then split it to the District Councils on a head of population basis.

 

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive is a separate body which oversees public transport in the County. It isn't run by Sheffield, it is independent.

 

Sheffield doesn't have a say in how things are run in the other districts. However, all districts have to spend the money according to the Local Transport Plan objectives (in order to meet the Central Government targets and indicators)

That's all very nice-sounding - "independent", "local", done in "partnership" - most laudable. Here's my problem, though. Where exactly in this charming little bureaucracy do the people of Sheffield get a say?

 

What if we disagree with Central Government? What if we want to change the targets?

 

I for one would quite like some real political accountability for transport at a local level. As far as I see it, the only real political accountability for transport in Sheffield rests with The Rt. Hon. Alistair Darling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, based in London and Edinburgh (both of which are building nice new light rail systems, incidentally )

[isaidthat 10]

No, I said that the person I was responding to and others like them often criticise without having a full grasp of the bigger picture. In my experience, people are prone to heaping unjustified criticism on the Council without asking questions first.

 

I'm a voter too don't forget.

 

 

Thanks for your "I know best" attitude. Please don't tell me I don't know the bigger picture. What you mean is that my reality is not the same as YOUR facts.

 

I know what its like and have a grasp of the bigger picture. Your attitude on this subject really does examplify what is wrong with the councils travel department.

 

You know best we don't know anything. It really is patronising to usto say the least.

[isaidthat 10]

Here are some statistics demonstrating the scale of the improvements in journey times, as provided to the Area Panel meeting on September 13th:

 

Average Journey Times, 08.00-09.30, Meadowhead to London Rd / Broadfield Road junction:

Nov-98 0:13:34

Nov-00 0:14:51

Nov-02 0:22:21

Nov-04 0:15:08

Nov-05 0:16:05

Mar-06 0:15:22

May-06 0:14:55

Jun-06 0:14:31

Sep-06 0:10:04

 

 

 

.

 

Average Journey times 08.00-09.30, Meadowhead to Chesterfield Rd / Scarsdale Rd junction:

 

Nov-98 0:05:45

Nov-00 0:05:46

Nov-02 0:04:52

Nov-04 0:08:47

Nov-05 0:08:38

Jun-06 0.08:45

Sep-06 0:06:17

 

The September 06 figures are when the new arrangements were fully working and the Heeley tidal flow system was back in full operation.

 

Yes and what did the people who live there and drive everyday say and do at the meeting!!

 

They just laughed at you and told you that they were expericing worse delays. Why won't you listen

[cantstop 10]

traffic is really bad.

[Haydn1971 10]

Thanks for your "I know best" attitude. Please don't tell me I don't know the bigger picture. What you mean is that my reality is not the same as YOUR facts.

 

I know what its like and have a grasp of the bigger picture. Your attitude on this subject really does examplify what is wrong with the councils travel department.

 

You know best we don't know anything. It really is patronising to usto say the least.

 

I can just picture you sitting down in front of your GP saying, right I've got this condition, your going to do this test, send me to see the specialist consultant, prescribe me xyz drug and refer me on a £2000 per day treatment... What do you think your doctor would say ? I suspect it would start and end in "F"

 

Yet, day after day, transport planners, traffic engineers, town planners etc who spend several years at collage and university, graduate, then spend several years becoming chartered, have to suffer accusations like this !

 

YES OF COURSE WE KNOW BEST, IT'S OUR JOB !!!!

 

P.S. There is no "Travel Department" in the City Council, see, you don't have a full grasp of the situation ;¬)

[Cyclone 10]

Your priorities are screwed up, you may know best how to achieve the city councils aims, the problem is that the aim isn't to alleviate congestion and to improve the experience of commuting through the city.

[Haydn1971 10]

What if we disagree with Central Government? What if we want to change the targets?

 

Perhaps you should stand for election ??? Then your head would be on the chopping block !

[Haydn1971 10]

Surely you mean:

 

"a series of controlled parking zones are being introduced to bully people to use other means of transport"

 

I used the word "Encourage" and meant it... Bullying is something undertaken by a small minority of forum members when they disagree with an opinion