Did you all miss this one yesterday???

Drivers 'must pay to use Sheffield roads'




http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Drivers-39must-pay-to-use.3785168.jp





By Tony Belshaw
MOTORISTS should be charged to drive around Sheffield in a bid to reduce the city's carbon footprint, council officers have said.
Andy Nolan, head of environmental strategy, said congestion charging "needs to become a feature" of the city's efforts to become cleaner and greener.

He said this, along with other measures such as stricter planning controls and promoting car sharing, were the tools the city should use to try reduce the threat of climate change.

But Labour bosses have been quick to rule out the idea - saying the city's economy is too fragile to cope with it.

The report to next week's Culture, Economy and Sustainability Scrutiny and Policy Development Board says Sheffield is responsible for roughly one per cent of Britain's total carbon dioxide emissions.

What do you think? Post your comments below or click here to email.

The Government wants big cities like Sheffield to do their bit to try to slash the amount of the greenhouse gas being produced. That means looking at as many ways as possible to reduce emissions.

And, as transport amounts to a quarter of the city's entire CO2 output, the report says that "tough decisions" will have to be taken in the future.

Andy Nolan said: "If the city council is to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide, it will need to work in partnership with the city itself, exercise its powers effectively and show that it can lead by example.

"The key areas of focus should be in policies which encompass design and refurbishment of new and existing buildings, both commercial and residential, and in transport."

He added: "Councils have the powers to take action to reduce transport-related emissions, for example on differential car parking charges, low emission zones or congestion charging.


"Reducing carbon dioxide emissions needs to become a feature of strategic thin
king on transport, including the promotion of walking and cycling, 20mph speed limits, workplace parking levies and promoting high vehicle occupancy.

"Many of these have been considered or are being actively pursued in Sheffield."

But Coun Bryan Lodge, council cabinet member for transport, told The Star: "There are no plans at the council to introduce congestion charging at the moment. It is not something we have discussed.

"The economy of the city is growing but it is still too fragile. You should never say never. Who knows what the situation will be in 10 years time? It is right that people should be investigating these things, but there are no plans to introduce it at the moment."

The report will be considered at a meeting to be held next Thursday at 2pm, in Sheffield Town Hall.

And some of the comments:
Prev

1
MuddyCoffee,
woodseats 16/02/2008 10:49:07
In my view it would be a good idea to have congestion charging, especially to stop people from driving their children to school. You just have to see the difference in traffic when the schools are off.
The main problem though is lack of support from central government. We have little prospect of extending supertram, in the current climate, as the Westminster village continues to pour billions on the "hallowed ground" of greater London, we are left like a forgotten wasteland to loose our infrastructure.
Lost - woodhead railway link, Lost - Sheffield City Airport, Not built - Supertram extensions. Meanwhile, in london they have crossrail, High speed link to Channel Tunnel, and lots of other new public transport improvements, All we have had in the last 10 years is the completed Inner ring road. Why would anyone leave their car at home if there is no modern transport.
Report Unsuitable
2
stevebob,
s2 16/02/2008 11:05:47
we already pay enough to drive on our rubbish roads.
Report Unsuitable
3
Mjb66,
16/02/2008 11:38:38
Andy nolan is living in cloud kookoo,the roads are crap and you expect people to pay to use them,what a ass.
Report Unsuitable
4
Owl81,
Sheffield 16/02/2008 13:27:50
I currently get the bus to work, but am thinking of changing to driving. The bus system in Sheffield is awful. Unfortunately i live on a (First/Mainline) bus route of only one bus number, so i rely on this bus for getting to work. The amount of times this bus is late and/or doesn't turn up is unbelievable.
As mentioned above, sort the public transport and the condition of the roads out first and then MAYBE address the idea of congestion charges.
Report Unsuitable
5
Owl81,
16/02/2008 13:29:37
...I forgot to mention the stupid prices of First bus fares as well!
Report Unsuitable
6
Abdul Rahim,
Burngreave 16/02/2008 16:14:43
Maybe the council can sort out the pot holes and bumps on the roads first, so that we can pay the congestion charges with the money we would save on buying new suspensions/tyres for our cars every year.
Report Unsuitable
7
angrymumoftwo,
shiregreen 16/02/2008 18:23:40
well can i just say to muddycoffee that not all people drive their kids to school because they are lazy. some of us have to drive them in order for the children to go to a good school with good education but not all the traffic on the roads in a morning are mothers taking their children to school, what about people who are lazy and can catch a bus to work in a morning but choose not to. This is down to the fact that the bus service in sheffield is absolutley unpredicable. I myself want to make a difference and help the planet for my childrens sake but the government need to get off there high horses and try using public transport themselves before trying to bring in charges and totally make our economy worse that it already is. These people who thinks this garbage up havent been on a bus for years. The government is full of rubbish.
Report Unsuitable
8
LongleyMick,
16/02/2008 20:02:14
Don't people pay road tax to drive on the roads? Why pay twice...will people really get a grip and realise whats going on here
Report Unsuitable
9
Totally Disgusted!,
Sheffield 16/02/2008 20:05:30
To Angrymumoftwo....I too chose to send my children to a school that was some distance from our home. I don't drive so had no option but to rely on public transport until it got to the stage that that was unreliable, so we left home earlier and walked the distance!

Healthier for the child and the environment than the gas guzzling 4x4/people carriers one usually sees hogging the entrance to the school gates of over subscribed schools!
Report Unsuitable
10
MuddyCoffee,
16/02/2008 20:45:52
Angrymum of two. You should make them walk it. There is no excuse for driving kids to school. You are setting them a bad example in my opinion. I never thought twice about walking 3 miles to school if the bus didn't come. My day used to walk from hillsborough to High stores in the 1950s when the snow stopped the bus.

can't see it hapening here, and if it does it'll finnish off Sheffield for good.