Agenda item

Highways Works on Penistone Road

It was moved by Councillor Pauline Andrews, seconded by Councillor John Booker, that this Council:-

(a)       notes with disappointment that since the start of roadworks taking place in the vicinity of Halifax Road / Leppings Lane, this appears to have had a catastrophic effect to local businesses and residents alike;

(b)       recognises the stress and the loss of business to traders i.e. lack of income, due to no ‘right turn’ into Leppings Lane, resulting in highway users having to travel towards Owlerton Stadium before enabling them to turn around, and travel back towards Catch Bar Lane;

(c)        believes that there has been a lack of urgency by the Administration to deal with this issue by challenging the contractors appointed by Sainsbury’s;

(d)       notes that a visit by a UKIP Councillor to business premises along Leppings Lane has highlighted that there has been an apparent lack of ongoing consultation with business owners / managers, and residents, resulting in a total lack of understanding of the needs of local businesses and residents by the contractors appointed to the scheme;

(e)       notes that what was proposed as a two week closure of Leppings Lane, now appears to have over run its course, resulting in even more hardship for local traders and residents;

(f)        believes that inconsiderate and inconvenient working practices have resulted in local residents suffering sleep deprivation, due to the constant noise throughout the early hours of the morning and evenings, and whilst it is appreciated that this work has to be carried out, more consideration and pre-planning for local people should have been put at the forefront;

(g)       calls on the contractors to compensate traders for loss of business;

(h)       believes it is important that the Council keep local people updated as to how the works are progressing, which would minimize disruption; and

(i)         notes the impact on daily commuters whilst travelling on a main arterial road towards and away from Sheffield, who use this route, who are often delayed for excessive periods of time whilst trying to get to work.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Jack Clarkson, seconded by Councillor John Booker, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the re-lettering of paragraphs (g) to (i) as new paragraphs (h) to (j) and the addition of a new paragraph (g) as follows:-

(g)       queries whether the Administration considered introducing penalty clauses for delayed completion of the highways works;

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

It was then moved by Councillor Leigh Bramall, seconded by Councillor Jack Scott, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of all the words after the words “That this Council” and the addition of the following words therefor:-

(a)       supports the improvements that are currently being made on Penistone Road and notes that existing businesses on and around Penistone Road itself often suffer because of local traffic congestion and therefore believes that, in addition to improving journey times along the A61 corridor, the pinch point scheme will help to improve access to local businesses and facilities, thereby encouraging economic growth;

(b)       welcomes that the new Sainsbury’s being built off the road in Wadsley Bridge will bring 250 jobs to the city and that Sainsbury’s agreed to make changes to Penistone Road as part of the development, including replacing the roundabout at the junction of Penistone Road, Leppings Lane and Herries Road with a traffic light-controlled crossroads;

(c)        believes that these works are important, however, agrees that disruption should be kept to a minimum and is concerned by the reports that the works have taken too long to complete and of the impact this may have had on businesses and commuters using the road;

(d)       regrets that the delays are causing frustration for everyone affected and notes that these have been caused by a subcontractor and they have ignored efforts by Council officers to contact them for an explanation about the delays;

(e)       asks officers to investigate if the businesses who have been impacted qualify for compensation under existing statutory guidelines; and

(f)        resolves to write to the contractor asking them to contact the local businesses who have been impacted by the works, to apologise for the disruption that has been caused and to provide a more complete explanation for the length of time this has taken.

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

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

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

(a)       supports the improvements that are currently being made on Penistone Road and notes that existing businesses on and around Penistone Road itself often suffer because of local traffic congestion and therefore believes that, in addition to improving journey times along the A61 corridor, the pinch point scheme will help to improve access to local businesses and facilities, thereby encouraging economic growth;

(b)       welcomes that the new Sainsbury’s being built off the road in Wadsley Bridge will bring 250 jobs to the city and that Sainsbury’s agreed to make changes to Penistone Road as part of the development, including replacing the roundabout at the junction of Penistone Road, Leppings Lane and Herries Road with a traffic light-controlled crossroads;

(c)       believes that these works are important, however, agrees that disruption should be kept to a minimum and is concerned by the reports that the works have taken too long to complete and of the impact this may have had on businesses and commuters using the road;

(d)       regrets that the delays are causing frustration for everyone affected and notes that these have been caused by a subcontractor and they have ignored efforts by Council officers to contact them for an explanation about the delays;

(e)       asks officers to investigate if the businesses who have been impacted qualify for compensation under existing statutory guidelines; and

(f)        resolves to write to the contractor asking them to contact the local businesses who have been impacted by the works, to apologise for the disruption that has been caused and to provide a more complete explanation for the length of time this has taken.

(Note: Councillors Jillian Creasy, Robert Murphy, Sarah Jane Smalley and Brian Webster voted for paragraph (e), against paragraphs (a) and (b) and abstained on paragraphs (c), (d) and (f) of the Substantive Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)