What would you do to improve Middlesbrough/Teesside?

Nobby_Barnes said:
Completely agree, the A66 Eastbound doesn't even go anywhere other than Teesport.
It's the single reason for the lack of investment alongside the Tees over the years.
Close it from Newport to Cargo Fleet and pull it down 👍
Click to expand...
Doesn't go anywhere except for Teesport is a very big except - have you seen the amount of traffic using that road? And the amount of lorries?
 
fmttmadmin said:
Doesn't go anywhere except for Teesport is a very big except - have you seen the amount of traffic using that road? And the amount of lorries?
Click to expand...
Indeed it is. I'm on that section of road frequently and the link to Teesport is very much needed. Traffic would increase massively on the A174 if the eastbound section of the A66 was removed. It would also increase journey times quite a bit for a lot of people.
 
Billy69_uk said:
The river is very much a working river and long may that continue to grow and thrive, but I am talking about areas upstream of the barrage, or areas like the old dock near the stadium that have endless leisure and recreational uses.

I think that River Shack is doing some great work that needs applauding and more recognition.

But how many river access points that were paid for by the public purse between the Barrage and Yarm are actually open to the public? 1 at the barrage that is open tot he public, and maybe half a dozen that are "available" but not accessible by the public.

I get the need to limit access to powered craft etc, but deliberately making it difficult or nearly impossible for kayaks, canoe or paddle boarders to enter the water safely is a disgrace.

I agree 100% about the Transporter bridge needing to be protected at all costs, however the longer it drags out, the less are the chances it will ever reopen. I fear it will become a static museum.
Click to expand...
The Transporter is having engineering work done on it at present - the first stage of getting it safe.
Because of the way funding works it would be more costly to have a static Transporter than an active road bridge that is also a heritage centre.
 
NorthumberlandBoro said:
We should divert part of the river to create a network of canals across the centre of Boro.
Click to expand...
You're not the first person to suggest this - one of the old council chief executives suggested a canal along Russel Street / The Boulevard, down Wilson Street, under the A66 / railway (not sure how this would be achieved) and connected to Middlesbrough Dock.
A few quick calculations revealed the level difference would result in the canal being approximately 40' deep to permanently hold water at all stages of the tide - or construct an extensive, complex, and very expensive system of locks at the downstream end.

The raised flowerbed / lawn alongside the Law Courts on the pedestrianised area of Wilson Street is the remnants of this scheme - the chief exec decided he wanted a water feature at the very least and so a concrete channel was formed with water running from one end to the other, where it dropped to an outlet and was pumped back round again.
Problem was it continually blocked with dead leaves, detritus and rubbish and so required constant maintenance - wasn't long before it was filled in and converted to a giant planter.
 
fmttmadmin said:
Doesn't go anywhere except for Teesport is a very big except - have you seen the amount of traffic using that road? And the amount of lorries?
Click to expand...
Yes but why should they trundle right through the centre of our town....send them down the Parkway please...not much difference time wise 👍
 
Billy69_uk said:
It fills me with equal amounts of sadness and anger almost every time I drive along the A66 through town.

To allow such wanton devastation of a town was either gross incompetence of gross negligence on the part of the council.

I also feel that we (not just Boro, but Stockton, Yarm etc) all mourn having a natural resource like the River Tees. There isnt another area in the country that tries so hard to prevent people using and enjoying the river and the riverside areas.

Absolutely baffling.
Click to expand...
First of all, it was Cleveland county council that had responsibility of the roads in Teesside not Middlesbrough or indeed any town council, and talking to people that was involved with the building of that road, the government give them no choice, it was that or road mayhem for ever and a day, Middlesbrough through to SouthBank and the port including North Ormesby area was already in gridlock all though the day.
 
TheLodger said:
First of all, it was Cleveland county council that had responsibility of the roads in Teesside not Middlesbrough or indeed any town council, and talking to people that was involved with the building of that road, the government give them no choice, it was that or road mayhem for ever and a day, Middlesbrough through to SouthBank and the port including North Ormesby area was already in gridlock all though the day.
Click to expand...
so gross incompetence then?
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
There's a massive difference between Middlesbrough and Dubai, in that was one was an empty desert so easy to develop on, and the other a historical, working town; that's not to mention the billions of oil dollars that they had available rather than relying on public funds or securing private investment.
Click to expand...
I was referring to how much it transformed the place and added to their leisure/tourism offering.
Of course, cost would be probitive here - over there, cost was no issue.
They did fit the metro amongst other developments though, rather than in the desert.
 
Wiseman_Vaughn said:
I was referring to how much it transformed the place and added to their leisure/tourism offering.
Of course, cost would be probitive here - over there, cost was no issue.
They did fit the metro amongst other developments though, rather than in the desert.
Click to expand...

My point was they were starting from a blank canvass, not from 150 years of previous building development
 
Jonny_Rondos_Disco_pants said:
The plans are needed now, the funding needs to be made available. Plans for another 2000 homes says its needed. Proactive thinking says build it now. Reactive thinking says build it after its already required.

The primary school intake is struggling to accommodate the areas children already. 2nd primary plan is underway.
Click to expand...
Well well well, 2nd primary on Wynyard has been approved and should open in 2024. Discussions now taking place to get ready to apply again for the secondary school due to up and coming demand.
 
Cleveland police needs a major overhaul and more officers but saying that its a national problem. Policing is a joke at the minute after a recent experience to a serious crime - the response and result was appalling from all levels of the force .
 
Wiseman_Vaughn said:
Look at what they achieved with the metro in Dubai.
The first lane being the backbone of an evolving project. Not perfect but a great start.

View attachment 40260
Click to expand...
I seem to remember at the first tees valley mayor election a number of candidates campaigning for a metro system. Of course as we know the successful candidate was the one who campaigned on purchasing the airport.

Not sure how much has been spent on the airport but I imagine it’s only a fraction of what a metro would cost.
 
Article from 2020...
'Forty years ago, Tyneside's new Metro system was up and running and one month into its existence.

It was a hugely ambitious £280 million project (around £1.3 billion in today's money) '

Teesside airport cost £40m.
 
NorthumberlandBoro said:
Article from 2020...
'Forty years ago, Tyneside's new Metro system was up and running and one month into its existence.

It was a hugely ambitious £280 million project (around £1.3 billion in today's money) '

Teesside airport cost £40m.
Click to expand...
Oh believe me, the Airport has cost a lot more than £40m. Since Houchen has been elected more than £100m has been poured into the hole that is our Airport.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top