Agenda item

Transport Ambitions for Stocksbridge and the Wider Area

15.1

It was formally moved by Councillor Jack Clarkson, and formally seconded by Councillor John Booker, that this Council:-

(a)       notes that over 800 new homes are to be built in the Upper Don Valley catchment area of Sheffield, comprising:

(i)         417 new homes to be built at Station Road, Deepcar;

(ii)        120 new homes to be built on the new 'Fox Valley bottom', Manchester Road, Stocksbridge; and

(iii)       300 new homes to be built on a proposed new development at the old paper mill site, between Oughtibridge and Wharncliffe Side;

(b)       expresses concern that there will be a substantial increase in vehicular traffic on local roads as a result of the proposed developments; a conservative estimate would assume at least an additional 1700 vehicles in the area, with additional vehicles also visiting the new 'Fox Valley' retail shopping centre at Stocksbridge;

(c)        believes that immediate action should be taken to begin the process of extending the Supertram/rail link between Middlewood and the newly built 'Fox Valley' shopping development at Stocksbridge, with tram/rail stops at Oughtibridge, Wharncliffe Side, Deepcar and Stocksbridge, and supports the Don Valley Railway plans submitted to the City Council in 2012 in relation to the popularity of the idea of re-using the freight line to Stocksbridge for passenger services;

(d)       recognises the fact that additional car journeys will create an increase in carbon dioxide emissions and traffic congestion, and that this will impact on the environment and, therefore, local people’s health;

(e)       welcomes the fact that the Authority has already taken an interest in urban design company, URBED, who advocate that satellite settlements that are included in future housing provision, such as Stocksbridge, have “light-rail” links to city centres to accommodate new economic growth over the next 15 years;

(f)        further believes that a new Supertram/rail link would be efficient and convenient for both local residents and visitors to use, would be environmentally cleaner, and would alleviate much of the existing congestion at ‘traffic pinch points’ in the areas of Catch Bar Lane and Penistone Road which have for many years caused chaos for local people travelling to and from the city centre during the morning and evening rush hour;

(g)       also believes that for the Authority to take no pro-active measures is not an option, and that, if a new Supertram/rail link is not actioned as soon as possible, traffic will crawl ever more slowly into and out of our city, increasing levels of air pollution, and resulting in all roads eventually leading to gridlock rather than the intended destination, impacting on the environment and the economy; and

(h)       welcomes the interest of the Sheffield Star newspaper, who has added its weight to the issue of the expansion of the Supertram network by asking its readers (over 350,000 per week), in a survey, where the new Supertram routes should go; and where the survey found that 31% of Sheffield Star readers and web site responses stated that their overwhelming favourite destination was Stocksbridge.

15.1.1

(NOTE: With the agreement of the Council and at the request of the mover of the Motion (Councillor Jack Clarkson), paragraph (e) of the Motion as published in the Council Summons was altered by the substitution of the words “urban design company” for the words “Government Regeneration Agency” in order to accurately reflect the status of URBED.)

15.2

Whereupon, it was formally moved by Councillor Richard Crowther, and formally seconded by Councillor Alan Law, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by:-

1.         the addition of new paragraphs (c) and (d) as follows, and the relettering of original paragraphs (c) to (h) as new paragraphs (e) to (j):-

(c)        welcomes the Administration’s manifesto commitment to a metro system for Sheffield and its development of a comprehensive Transport Strategy for the whole city, which will include transport ambitions for Stocksbridge and the wider area;

(d)       welcomes that the idea of expanding the tram network to Stocksbridge was put forward by the present Administration as part of the Citywide Options for Growth, and believes that new housing growth and infrastructure must be underpinned by adequate transport links, and notes that the document states “URBED suggest that smaller developments of around 1,000 homes could take place at Stocksbridge and in the Upper Don Valley at Oughtibridge, with both locations having potential to be served by tram extensions or reinstatement of passenger services on the railway line running between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria station.”;

2.         the addition of a new paragraph (k) as follows:-

(k)        believes that strengthening the city’s public transport network is essential to accommodating housing growth and believes that the Supertram network must be expanded to achieve this, and recognises that significant support and investment within Sheffield City Region and financial support from central government are essential in delivering this.

15.3

On being put to the vote, the amendment was carried.

15.4

The original Motion, as altered and amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       notes that over 800 new homes are to be built in the Upper Don Valley catchment area of Sheffield, comprising:

(i)         417 new homes to be built at Station Road, Deepcar;

(ii)        120 new homes to be built on the new 'Fox Valley bottom', Manchester Road, Stocksbridge; and

(iii)       300 new homes to be built on a proposed new development at the old paper mill site, between Oughtibridge and Wharncliffe Side;

(b)       expresses concern that there will be a substantial increase in vehicular traffic on local roads as a result of the proposed developments; a conservative estimate would assume at least an additional 1700 vehicles in the area, with additional vehicles also visiting the new 'Fox Valley' retail shopping centre at Stocksbridge;

(c)        welcomes the Administration’s manifesto commitment to a metro system for Sheffield and its development of a comprehensive Transport Strategy for the whole city, which will include transport ambitions for Stocksbridge and the wider area;

(d)       welcomes that the idea of expanding the tram network to Stocksbridge was put forward by the present Administration as part of the Citywide Options for Growth, and believes that new housing growth and infrastructure must be underpinned by adequate transport links, and notes that the document states “URBED suggest that smaller developments of around 1,000 homes could take place at Stocksbridge and in the Upper Don Valley at Oughtibridge, with both locations having potential to be served by tram extensions or reinstatement of passenger services on the railway line running between Stocksbridge and Sheffield Victoria station.”;

(e)       believes that immediate action should be taken to begin the process of extending the Supertram/rail link between Middlewood and the newly built 'Fox Valley' shopping development at Stocksbridge, with tram/rail stops at Oughtibridge, Wharncliffe Side, Deepcar and Stocksbridge, and supports the Don Valley Railway plans submitted to the City Council in 2012 in relation to the popularity of the idea of re-using the freight line to Stocksbridge for passenger services;

(f)        recognises the fact that additional car journeys will create an increase in carbon dioxide emissions and traffic congestion, and that this will impact on the environment and, therefore, local people’s health;

(g)       welcomes the fact that the Authority has already taken an interest in urban design company, URBED, who advocate that satellite settlements that are included in future housing provision, such as Stocksbridge, have “light-rail” links to city centres to accommodate new economic growth over the next 15 years;

(h)       further believes that a new Supertram/rail link would be efficient and convenient for both local residents and visitors to use, would be environmentally cleaner, and would alleviate much of the existing congestion at ‘traffic pinch points’ in the areas of Catch Bar Lane and Penistone Road which have for many years caused chaos for local people travelling to and from the city centre during the morning and evening rush hour;

(i)         also believes that for the Authority to take no pro-active measures is not an option, and that, if a new Supertram/rail link is not actioned as soon as possible, traffic will crawl ever more slowly into and out of our city, increasing levels of air pollution, and resulting in all roads eventually leading to gridlock rather than the intended destination, impacting on the environment and the economy;

(j)         welcomes the interest of the Sheffield Star newspaper, who has added its weight to the issue of the expansion of the Supertram network by asking its readers (over 350,000 per week), in a survey, where the new Supertram routes should go; and where the survey found that 31% of Sheffield Star readers and web site responses stated that their overwhelming favourite destination was Stocksbridge; and

(k)        believes that strengthening the city’s public transport network is essential to accommodating housing growth and believes that the Supertram network must be expanded to achieve this, and recognises that significant support and investment within Sheffield City Region and financial support from central government are essential in delivering this.

15.4.1

(NOTE: Councillors Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Adam Hanrahan, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Sue Alston, Andrew Sangar, Cliff Woodcraft, Ian Auckland, Sue Auckland, Steve Ayris, Gail Smith, David Baker, Penny Baker and Vickie Priestley voted for paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) to (k), and voted against paragraph (c) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)