Sheepfolds investment plans

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Money is there for investment, but in this country we have a senior CS based in London working to models designed by London for London so nigh on impossible for smaller area to get funding because they don't fit the model just a select few rich areas do
The issue is the way in which they calculate the added value for new schemes.

To make the cut they have to be seen to boost the economy. While that seems fair, it means that areas which are already better off get more investment as there is already more money there meaning that those schemes are more profitable as there is more money to make use of the new schemes.

it can become a vicious circle resulting in wealthy parts of the country getting richer while the rest fall further behind
 
That's my hope but also my concern. Too many times over the last 50+ years things up here are only done if it benefits Newcastle, everywhere else is just an after thought. I remember reading on the Skyscraper City forum a few years back someone from Newcastle arguing that Sunderland didn't need an upgraded station and more rail services because you could just go to Newcastle instead.

Sunderland needs a connection to the East Coast mainline via Durham, something that connects Washington, Houghton etc to the mainline, it's something that would help connect the outer lying parts of the city together better. We need the Durham coast line to be revamped and improved, including it's connection to the ECML. Better, more modern rail connection via the Durham coast line to Teesside benefits the whole region. More options for passengers, improved communication, better opportunities for employment.

Whether it's done by new lines, reopening mothballed ones or using the remnants of the old colliery/mineral lines, it needs to be explored and worked on. Honestly, if it was for the South East, it would already be getting looked at if not implemented.
If only the ‘much needed’ Cross Rail / Elizabeth Line had delivered to the agreed budget.
£4 Billion overspend on a project where most places already had better transport connections than the majority of North East towns.
It’s obvious to anyone travelling on that line as to where the money is being invested in this country.
 
If only the ‘much needed’ Cross Rail / Elizabeth Line had delivered to the agreed budget.
£4 Billion overspend on a project where most places already had better transport connections than the majority of North East towns.
It’s obvious to anyone travelling on that line as to where the money is being invested in this country.

Yep agreed, mind that £4b will be a drop in the ocean compared to the wasted money on HS2 when its totted up.
 
I'm absolutely certain KLD will have people on this and other initiatives.

Sunderland is a city and it's about time it was respected as one.

I'm sure they will mate, they'll want better transport links to the SOL, but ultimately it's up to the North East residents of everywhere south of Newcastle to push this agenda.
 
The issue is the way in which they calculate the added value for new schemes.

To make the cut they have to be seen to boost the economy. While that seems fair, it means that areas which are already better off get more investment as there is already more money there meaning that those schemes are more profitable as there is more money to make use of the new schemes.

it can become a vicious circle resulting in wealthy parts of the country getting richer while the rest fall further behind
And of course loosing European monies hasn’t helped. It focused on need and deprivation more than anything else. However what Sunderland Council have been very good at is tapping into external funding opportunities. Hopefully long may it continue,
 
I'm sure they will mate, they'll want better transport links to the SOL, but ultimately it's up to the North East residents of everywhere south of Newcastle to push this agenda.

Exactly, our MP’s should be pushing for this …

… Sunderland needs to start acting like a city, not an afterthought.
 
That's my hope but also my concern. Too many times over the last 50+ years things up here are only done if it benefits Newcastle, everywhere else is just an after thought. I remember reading on the Skyscraper City forum a few years back someone from Newcastle arguing that Sunderland didn't need an upgraded station and more rail services because you could just go to Newcastle instead.

Sunderland needs a connection to the East Coast mainline via Durham, something that connects Washington, Houghton etc to the mainline, it's something that would help connect the outer lying parts of the city together better. We need the Durham coast line to be revamped and improved, including it's connection to the ECML. Better, more modern rail connection via the Durham coast line to Teesside benefits the whole region. More options for passengers, improved communication, better opportunities for employment.

Whether it's done by new lines, reopening mothballed ones or using the remnants of the old colliery/mineral lines, it needs to be explored and worked on. Honestly, if it was for the South East, it would already be getting looked at if not implemented.

Spot on mate. There's no point building 2 extra platforms at Sunderland station unless you're going to use them.
The main point is that the investment projects that you mention will increase profitability for the whole North East economy INCLUDING Newcastle.

When I met with Nexus, and in my letter to Transport North East, I mentioned that the purpose of the Leamside Line isn't just to get freight trains off the ECML, it's to provide passenger transport links to other places across the North East from the South of the region and beyond.
I saw no sense in running separate regional Northern Rail trains to Newcastle and Sunderland. Just run one up to Penshaw, which is the last northbound station before the line splits, then let the Metro take over from there. This will cause far less congestion, particularly between Sunderland and Penshaw and Newcastle and Penshaw, allowing more room for freight and Intercity services out of the region from Sunderland and Newcastle.
The people I spoke to from Nexus were in agreement and actually said that Penshaw could be a terminus for Metro trains and an interchange station for Northern Rail.
Needless to say, I have yet to receive a reply to my letter from Transport North East.
Sharon Hodgson MP has been an avid campaigner for the Leamside. Now that she's got her wish for the Metro to come to Washington, I hope she is vociferous in her campaigning for the southern half of the Leamside to reopen.
 
Spot on mate. There's no point building 2 extra platforms at Sunderland station unless you're going to use them.
The main point is that the investment projects that you mention will increase profitability for the whole North East economy INCLUDING Newcastle.

When I met with Nexus, and in my letter to Transport North East, I mentioned that the purpose of the Leamside Line isn't just to get freight trains off the ECML, it's to provide passenger transport links to other places across the North East from the South of the region and beyond.
I saw no sense in running separate regional Northern Rail trains to Newcastle and Sunderland. Just run one up to Penshaw, which is the last northbound station before the line splits, then let the Metro take over from there. This will cause far less congestion, particularly between Sunderland and Penshaw and Newcastle and Penshaw, allowing more room for freight and Intercity services out of the region from Sunderland and Newcastle.
The people I spoke to from Nexus were in agreement and actually said that Penshaw could be a terminus for Metro trains and an interchange station for Northern Rail.
Needless to say, I have yet to receive a reply to my letter from Transport North East.
Sharon Hodgson MP has been an avid campaigner for the Leamside. Now that she's got her wish for the Metro to come to Washington, I hope she is vociferous in her campaigning for the southern half of the Leamside to reopen.

Keep going mate.:emoticon-0148-yes:
 
Keep going mate.:emoticon-0148-yes:

I will do mate. I've got the bit between my teeth on this one.
The result of the feasibility study, costings for Phase One is due at the end of the year and the Mayors transport committee meets in January. It'll be interesting to see if Penshaw is included in the first phase, like myself and several other apparently (according to Nexus) have suggested, so that the Metro side of the operation (in and out of Penshaw) can be tested and perfected before work starts on Phase Two of the Leamside.
 
I will do mate. I've got the bit between my teeth on this one.
The result of the feasibility study, costings for Phase One is due at the end of the year and the Mayors transport committee meets in January. It'll be interesting to see if Penshaw is included in the first phase, like myself and several other apparently (according to Nexus) have suggested, so that the Metro side of the operation (in and out of Penshaw) can be tested and perfected before work starts on Phase Two of the Leamside.

Fingers crossed mate. High time that this part of the region got a bigger slice of the investment that Newcastle has simply taken as their own for far too long.

More power to your elbow.
 
In the early days of the metro my Dad was offered a big job with them (he was electrical foreman of Sunderland Busways at the time). He turned it down as he didn’t want to uproot our family at the time. I remember him telling me that Sunderland was offered the metro test track first but turned it down after a handful of objections from a public enquiry. Newcastle snapped it up and the rest is history.

I would like to think with the building of the Crown Works studios it would coincide with further improvements in public transport links - metros, trains etc and finally after all the years that have passed Sunderland will finally be on the map. A hell of a long way to go but hopefully the improvements seen over the last few years continue from strength to strength
 
In the early days of the metro my Dad was offered a big job with them (he was electrical foreman of Sunderland Busways at the time). He turned it down as he didn’t want to uproot our family at the time. I remember him telling me that Sunderland was offered the metro test track first but turned it down after a handful of objections from a public enquiry. Newcastle snapped it up and the rest is history.

I would like to think with the building of the Crown Works studios it would coincide with further improvements in public transport links - metros, trains etc and finally after all the years that have passed Sunderland will finally be on the map. A hell of a long way to go but hopefully the improvements seen over the last few years continue from strength to strength
I heard similar and the metro centre was talked about. Some Sunderland people are their own worst enemies, I remember comments about the new road bridge saying we don't want iconic type bridge just a bog standard road bridge would do, let them up the road have the Fancy bridges, that was said in the Echo.
 
I heard similar and the metro centre was talked about. Some Sunderland people are their own worst enemies, I remember comments about the new road bridge saying we don't want iconic type bridge just a bog standard road bridge would do, let them up the road have the Fancy bridges, that was said in the Echo.
I can remember some councillors opposing the Metro coming to Sunderland on the grounds that it would make it easier for people to go to Newcastle!
 
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I can remember some councillors opposing the Metro coming to Sunderland on the grounds that it would make it easier for people to go to Newcastle!

I remember that as well, and to fair they had a point. The worry was that Sunderland would suffer from underinvestment (shops, offices etc) with people being forced to go to Newcastle instead because of the money being poured into there instead.
 
Hopefully the club are looking at the extension to the North Stand. Keep playing like this it is needed.

Build it now and counter any nimbyism with the proposed Sheepfold development.

Get the lads n lasses from the nearby new college some good work experience.

HTLs