Agenda item

6.1

It was moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, and seconded by Councillor Tim Huggan, that this Council:-

(a)      notes, with enormous disappointment, the decision to cancel the high-speed rail link from Sheffield to the Midlands as a huge setback for the city of Sheffield;

(b)      notes the huge capacity constraints on the line between Sheffield and Leeds;

(c)      notes that this constrains the ability to put more goods on rail rather than road that will hamper efforts to meet our carbon net zero goals;

(d)      believes that the health of many Sheffielders, particularly on the east of the city, will continue to suffer from the harmful effects of poor air quality as fewer goods movements will be able to be moved from road to rail;

(e)      believes that for all this Government’s talk about ‘the Northern Powerhouse’ and ‘levelling up’ they are still making disgraceful decisions like this one which will see Sheffield cut off from the high-speed train network;

(f)       believes this is another example of the Government failing to support our communities and our city, harming our city’s potential for future economic prosperity and development compared to our neighbouring cities of Leeds and Manchester;

(g)      believes that Sheffield not being a part of the High-Speed network will only encourage people into their cars and cause environmental damage;

(h)      believes that the Government should reconsider and needs to support the full implementation of High-Speed Rail and the so called ‘Northern Powerhouse Rail’; this should be done with far tighter financial controls and increased accountability than there has previously been to ensure that these projects are value for money;

(i)       believes that both the Government and this Council should address problems with implementation to ensure that the complete HS2 network opens as early as possible to meet our decarbonisation goals while minimising the destruction of precious UK habitats and woodland;

(j)       also notes, with disappointment, the Government’s decision not to give funding to restore the Sheaf Valley Line, a key route in our city that if fully developed could take hundreds of vehicles off our roads daily, helping us tackle the menace of both traffic and air pollution that many of our local communities around the Sheaf valley face;

(k)      however, believes that this Council needs to do more to promote railways and that the Co-operative leadership have not adequately fought Sheffield’s corner and made arguments central Government could not ignore for Sheffield’s full inclusion in HS2;

(l)       believes this is also a failure of the political leaders of South Yorkshire, who by not working together to promote our region have contributed to this decision being taken; and

(m)     requires that the Chief Executive write to the Transport Minister expressing this Council’s disappointment and desire to see the HS2 cancellation decision reconsidered.

6.2

After contributions from three other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, the Motion was put to the vote in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)      notes, with enormous disappointment, the decision to cancel the high-speed rail link from Sheffield to the Midlands as a huge setback for the city of Sheffield;

(b)      notes the huge capacity constraints on the line between Sheffield and Leeds;

(c)      notes that this constrains the ability to put more goods on rail rather than road that will hamper efforts to meet our carbon net zero goals;

(d)      believes that the health of many Sheffielders, particularly on the east of the city, will continue to suffer from the harmful effects of poor air quality as fewer goods movements will be able to be moved from road to rail;

(e)      believes that for all this Government’s talk about ‘the Northern Powerhouse’ and ‘levelling up’ they are still making disgraceful decisions like this one which will see Sheffield cut off from the high-speed train network;

(f)       believes this is another example of the Government failing to support our communities and our city, harming our city’s potential for future economic prosperity and development compared to our neighbouring cities of Leeds and Manchester;

(g)      believes that Sheffield not being a part of the High-Speed network will only encourage people into their cars and cause environmental damage;

(h)      believes that the Government should reconsider and needs to support the full implementation of High-Speed Rail and the so called ‘Northern Powerhouse Rail’; this should be done with far tighter financial controls and increased accountability than there has previously been to ensure that these projects are value for money;

(i)       believes that both the Government and this Council should address problems with implementation to ensure that the complete HS2 network opens as early as possible to meet our decarbonisation goals while minimising the destruction of precious UK habitats and woodland;

(j)       also notes, with disappointment, the Government’s decision not to give funding to restore the Sheaf Valley Line, a key route in our city that if fully developed could take hundreds of vehicles off our roads daily, helping us tackle the menace of both traffic and air pollution that many of our local communities around the Sheaf valley face;

(k)      however, believes that this Council needs to do more to promote railways and that the Co-operative leadership have not adequately fought Sheffield’s corner and made arguments central Government could not ignore for Sheffield’s full inclusion in HS2;

(l)       believes this is also a failure of the political leaders of South Yorkshire, who by not working together to promote our region have contributed to this decision being taken; and

(m)     requires that the Chief Executive write to the Transport Minister expressing this Council’s disappointment and desire to see the HS2 cancellation decision reconsidered.

6.3

(NOTE: In the absence of a mover for the amendment, Amendment Number 1 on the list of amendments circulated at the meeting, was not considered by the Council.)