Home arrow News arrow Chamber News arrow NEW ROAD REPAIRS WILL HELP REVITALISE SHEFFIELD, SAYS CHAMBER
NEW ROAD REPAIRS WILL HELP REVITALISE SHEFFIELD, SAYS CHAMBER Print E-mail
Wednesday, 02 April 2008

An end to Sheffield’s potholing nightmare with a massive cash injection to resurface roads will be a key ingredient in the bid to regenerate the city region, a leading business organisation said today.

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, whose member businesses had earlier identified pothole repairs as being a top priority in a transport survey, welcomed Transport Minister Rosie Winterton’s announcement of £663.8 million of Private Finance Initiative money to improve the city’s road network and hailed it as a huge boost in the bid to become a city region of European significance.

Tim Hale, deputy chairman of the Chamber’s Transport Forum which makes recommendations on transport matters to the City Council and to transport organisations on behalf of its members, said: “This is wonderful news for the city and something we have been pushing for. Our members have been telling us for a long time that difficult, uneven road services were letting the city down and giving it the wrong image.

“It also creates a bad first impression for visitors and a pain for people who live here. Hopefully, the money will enable the city to shake off its Pothole City label and go on to complete its regeneration with a much improved road network more in keeping with a city which wants to take its place among the best in Europe.”

In the Chamber’s transport survey, which asked members about their priorities for the future, 56 per cent named better maintenance of road surfaces as being top of their list.

More off-street parking (41 per cent) was second and improved access to Sheffield city centre through better signage and fewer one-way streets was third (29 per cent).

The £663.8 million includes £79.3 million already promised for replacing or upgrading 80 per cent of the city’s 69,000 street lamps.

Mr Hale added: “It’s a bit disappointing that it will apparently be ten years before all the work is completed but at least Sheffield now has the money in place and can begin to action the proposals. The work is long overdue but we are delighted that something is happening at last.”

The Chamber is currently lobbying the city council to improve traffic signage at The Wicker.
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]