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Sheffield is isolated from the world

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Actually, Sheffield is tiny compared to other cities ! I can't believe that Manchester has a smaller population size than Leeds or Sheffield. Is it because it's not taken into account 'Greater' Manchester ?

 

 

I agree - when you look at the size of the urban area served by Sheffield we're much smaller than Manchester - in fact were 9th biggest in Britain.

 

http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1307

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Two points, baggage check in at train station is free [for us the user] and it's for tourists, exhibition attendees, business people and locals like myself who want to go travel elsewhere.

Well, of course if you want something to work and make it feasible, you also have to have other things going on at the same time. i.e. the demand ans governmental support. HK always had a healthy economy before the SARs event, or the Asian stock crisis. The demand dropped, and even after it's built, I think they are making a loss on it. If they lower the cost inline with the local inflation, more people will indeed use it. No point supplying something, when there is a lack of demand. Most people just take the airport buses which is half the price of the fast train service which have check-in services. Even hotels offer limosine services which puts the airport train service into the bottom of the list. I think some hotels even keep your lugguages for you until you fly. Maybe for the tourists who do not know of the other services available, they will use the check-in services.

 

Ever heard the phrase 'Build it and they will come'? Besides aren't we talking about putting some bags on a train, it's not rocket science, but it is something that will encourage Sheffielders to use Man.Airport rather than Luton or Heathrow, let alone East Midlands or Robin Hood. Cheap flights aren't cheap when you have to park your car for a couple of weeks.

Yes, I have. However, in those certain instances, I'm sure the builder would've have checked out the demand of such services before they go ahead with it. Or rather, their financial predictions are more accurate. Sometimes such things need heavy backing from the government, and the local commerce, before it becomes feasible.

 

For us in Sheffield, you have to ask yourself this Q. What flights fly from Manchester Airport ? What destinations do Sheffielders want to go for their typical holiday ? I think the two do not match. Otherwise East Midland would not have the flights that they do, which serves their local markets. Basically they've cornered the market for family holidays. Most flights from Manchester airport is long-haul, and a few to European cities, and the cost of those city flights are not the cheapest in the overall flight market. Most will just go for Easyjet or Ryainair. So really, where is the demand for such a connection if Sheffield is not going to be doing business with people in countries across the Atlantic or Pacific ? I think there are more families in Sheffield than there are business people. We're not a commuter's town/city like Reading.

 

Unless Sheffield becomes an International headquarter or city of some kind, I cannot see such connections and infrastructure to be built here. (It's only a little while back that there was a heated debate on the SF about the Sheffield airport.) Places like Aberdeen attracts an international business crowd because that's where all the oils are. What has Sheffield got to offer ? We could've been some kind of steel specialist, but that's kind of dwindled down over the years. The pound is so strong that it doesn't allow that to happen.

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I can't believe that Manchester has a smaller population size than Leeds or Sheffield. Is it because it's not taken into account 'Greater' Manchester ?

 

Its because only the City of Manchester is taken into account - when you look at the whole conurbation (sp?) including Salford, Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, Thameside - its clearly far bigger than Sheffield by many times

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I think there's only two train services from Sheffield to Manchester. One is a faster train, and the other is a slower one which visits every single stop in the Peak District.

I think there are two fast trains an hour: one of which is a through service to the airport (it goes via M/C Picc); the other (Liverpool bound) entails changing at M/C Picc. The stopping service which you refer to, via the Hope Valley and Marple, is definitely not one to catch if you are actually going to Manchester.

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Two points, baggage check in at train station is free [for us the user] and it's for tourists, exhibition attendees, business people and locals like myself who want to go travel elsewhere.

I re-read my post, and kept thinking whether I have not answered your question in full. Well, to answer you, I don't think it's free. You have to have an Airport Express (train) ticket or an Octopus card before you can use such services.

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/ae_compli_e.htm

 

I can understand why they offer such services, because even my bus, it takes almost 1 hour to get from the airport TO the central area. The airport is on an island as well. Compare that to Sheffield and Manchester. The airport is not on an island. Thinking back to the point that someone made about Tokyo. I'm not sure if Tokyo's airport is on an island as well, but I know Osaka's airport also was on island from reclaimed land, and it had a fast train/shuttle service to get to the city centre. I guess Tokyo may be the same. HK airport is also on reclaimed land.

 

Angel20: Sorry, I got my facts wrong. That's 3 train services from Sheffield to Manchester then. I just distinctively remember two out of three train company's names.

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a few years ago i came to sheff for a few days cos i was gonna attend a gig in leeds and a gig in manchester so stayed with family in sheff inbetween cos the gigs were only seperated by 1 day

 

i could catch a normal bus to leeds but to manchester there was only national express coaches??????????????? strange??? i thought so

on a side note i can also catch a normal bus from whitby to leeds................but nott o sheffield :( lol

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Try flying on week day and give the poor people who have to get you there every other day of the week a break.

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For us in Sheffield, you have to ask yourself this Q. What flights fly from Manchester Airport ? What destinations do Sheffielders want to go for their typical holiday ? I think the two do not match. Otherwise East Midland would not have the flights that they do, which serves their local markets. Basically they've cornered the market for family holidays. Most flights from Manchester airport is long-haul, and a few to European cities, and the cost of those city flights are not the cheapest in the overall flight market. Most will just go for Easyjet or Ryainair. So really, where is the demand for such a connection if Sheffield is not going to be doing business with people in countries across the Atlantic or Pacific ? I think there are more families in Sheffield than there are business people. We're not a commuter's town/city like Reading.

 

Unless Sheffield becomes an International headquarter or city of some kind, I cannot see such connections and infrastructure to be built here. (It's only a little while back that there was a heated debate on the SF about the Sheffield airport.) Places like Aberdeen attracts an international business crowd because that's where all the oils are. What has Sheffield got to offer ? We could've been some kind of steel specialist, but that's kind of dwindled down over the years. The pound is so strong that it doesn't allow that to happen.

 

This is an interesting post, as it takes almost the opposite view to my posts, but seems no less valid. What you seem to be saying is that Sheffield is not a business town, so doesn't need business destinations. My point is also that it isn't a business town, but that's because it is isolated from business destinations.

 

You ask, what does Sheffield have to offer? A good question, but if the answer is 'nothing', we are looking at a bleak future. We do have a pool of labour for a start and the council can make it attractive for companies to do business here. We are centrally located and have land for redevelopment. Unless we start making more effort to compete nationally and internationally, Sheffield will be a dying town. We won't need links to a holiday airport then, because we'll all be on the dole or have moved somewhere else.

 

We have actually done much to change from an industrial economy to an engineering and services economy. In fact, I have been told that we turn out more specialist steel now than we ever did in the old days when we were known as a steel town. I think though, that we need to do a lot more. Sheffield doesn't seem like "City on the Move" to me anymore.

 

Sheffield no longer seems to have an identity. When I talk to Americans about it they've usually never heard of it unless I reference "The Full Monty". That's a sad state of affairs as far as I'm concerned and something I'd like to see change.

 

Sheffield has a lot of creative people. Though, I actually think the local government has let it down over the years with crazy piecemeal schemes that have cost money and done nothing other than spoil any character the city had. I'm also unconvinced as to the legitimacy of some deals.

 

I know the airport link is just a dream and may never happen, but I am using it as an example of what could actually be done. Nothing is impossible and Sheffield could become a vibrant, wealthy city. It really takes a winning attitude rather than saying 'it can never happen to us'. If you expect to lose on penalties, you always will :hihi:

 

I come and go from Sheffield a lot and see things other cities are doing and would like some of that in Sheffield.

 

I'm not asking you to share my views. If you're happy living here with the way things are, that's fine too. However, it takes more than a downtown greenhouse with a few exotic plants in, which then gets hidden behind a giant hotel, to convince me that Sheffield has a future.

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Tokyo's Narita airport isn't an island. It is built on farmland outside the city. There were very violent riots by farmers during the 70s when they were trying to build it.

 

I re-read my post, and kept thinking whether I have not answered your question in full. Well, to answer you, I don't think it's free. You have to have an Airport Express (train) ticket or an Octopus card before you can use such services.

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/ae_compli_e.htm

 

I can understand why they offer such services, because even my bus, it takes almost 1 hour to get from the airport TO the central area. The airport is on an island as well. Compare that to Sheffield and Manchester. The airport is not on an island. Thinking back to the point that someone made about Tokyo. I'm not sure if Tokyo's airport is on an island as well, but I know Osaka's airport also was on island from reclaimed land, and it had a fast train/shuttle service to get to the city centre. I guess Tokyo may be the same. HK airport is also on reclaimed land.

 

Angel20: Sorry, I got my facts wrong. That's 3 train services from Sheffield to Manchester then. I just distinctively remember two out of three train company's names.

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Well, what I've written is not to deliberately put down Sheffield, but to point out the obvious. I guess I learnt this from the other airport thread. The main thing is, no point having these ideas, and wants from a citizen's point of view when the local government may not support the idea, and have their own developmental ideas of Sheffield. It always boils down to money.

 

I pointed out the small details because it's a good reference point. Why does something work elsewhere, but not in Sheffield ? It's only until you look at the small fine points and consider each and every step to the successful development of such infrastructure that makes you think, "Ahhh... this is actually how it happened."

 

A good link to Manchester Airport from Sheffield can indeed be created, if office spaces, and commerce increased n-fold in Sheffield. However, Greater Manchester has already become a prime developed commercial space/land. So why the need to go as far as Sheffield ?

 

I kind of agree with you on the creative front. I heard that Zoo Digital is quite a well known company in its industry. I was merely surprised.

 

Sheffield can indeed become a more vibrant and wealthy city. I just hope that stage has not past for us. As land is getting more expensive, and not many offices will be bought or land be developed any more. The regeneration is almost complete. Maybe it takes a visionary to save us now. The next Boeing ? The next BMW ? The next Dyson ?

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Yes, I have. However, in those certain instances, I'm sure the builder would've have checked out the demand of such services before they go ahead with it. Or rather, their financial predictions are more accurate. Sometimes such things need heavy backing from the government, and the local commerce, before it becomes feasible.
There was no demand for SMS until people realised that it was cheaper than than phoning and then it took on a life of it's own. Completely took the tele com.s by surprise.

There is often no demand for anything until it is actually in front of people. It was decided some years ago by some brilliant people [at IBM I think]that the world would never need more than 4 computers.

Then it was decided there was no need for computers in people's homes and then......

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I re-read my post, and kept thinking whether I have not answered your question in full. Well, to answer you, I don't think it's free. You have to have an Airport Express (train) ticket or an Octopus card before you can use such services.

http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/train/ae_compli_e.htm

Well, not quite sure which point you have missed here.

I'm going to airport.

I have luggage.

It has to be checked in.

I go by car, and check in at airport.

I go by train and check in at airport.

I go by train and check in at station, so do not have to carry bags any further. Plus I can check in after leaving hotel at 9AM and can spend rest of day wandering around without my luggage [which can be around70KG], before getting my evening flight.

Both the latter two options cost the same, but one is very convienient. And one is a PITA.

 

So having used what I suggested for Sheff/Manchester else where I can confirm it makes travel much easier and gave us more time at our destination and cost nothing. We had to get train there anyway, so no extra cost to us above the ticket fare one has to pay anyway.

 

I can understand why they offer such services, because even my bus, it takes almost 1 hour to get from the airport TO the central area. The airport is on an island as well. Compare that to Sheffield and Manchester. The airport is not on an island. Thinking back to the point that someone made about Tokyo. I'm not sure if Tokyo's airport is on an island as well, but I know Osaka's airport also was on island from reclaimed land, and it had a fast train/shuttle service to get to the city centre. I guess Tokyo may be the same. HK airport is also on reclaimed land.

Being on an Island/reclaimed land on the other side of Pennines is of no relevence here.

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