Sheffield Super Tram “Facing Moth Balling”

When you have worked most of your adult life to improve public transport, in the West Midlands and across the UK, its a very sobering thought indeed to read about the demise of elements of it due to this damned Pandemic.

Buses, trains, trams, coaches are all being hit by the requirement to fund them, via Government support.

Sheffield is the latest City that is facing a funding crisis in its tram system. The Sheffield Star has carried a story that is pretty dramatic.

“Sheffield’s Supertram ‘could be mothballed’ in ‘worst case scenario’ if Government fails to step in.
Supertram services in Sheffield and Rotherham could be mothballed if the Government fails to step in with further resources,” Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis has warned.

Here in the West Midlands I have been supporting our Local Coach Companies, who are amongst the hundreds of privately owned Coach Companies across the UK, that have seen their business hit similarly. They have also been appealing to the Government for support.

This Pandemic sadly is just not letting up, and those that work in our great transportation sector are looking with further trepidation at an even worse scenario taking place as the year progresses, with the potential of retail sector collapsing in city and town centres, Manufacturing taking a hit, and the Commercial jobs in City Centres with Office workers, being tasked to continue to work from home.

Its all these issues linked to the strategies to fight Covid-19 that is now playing its part in undermining the UK’s previously wide, robust and varied transport networks…. The Government needs to fund the transport networks to enable all of them to keep running. Which in turn supports our own Local Economies no matter where we live…

If you want to read the full story about the Sheffield Light Rail System follow this link….https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/politics/council/sheffields-supertram-could-be-mothballed-worst-case-scenario-if-government-fails-step-2929777

Phil Bateman

Phil Bateman is Married to Mary and lives in Wednesfield North. He was a long serving local politician having served previously on the now defunct West Midlands County Council... read more

TwitterFacebook