What would you do to improve Middlesbrough/Teesside?

There have been seasons when the biggest gate at the Riverside was on Boxing Day, that is, when there is no public transport. This has to be taken into account when talking about about improving public transport.
 
Definitely improve transport infrastructure. Trams, metro, cycle lanes. A more regional integrated transport system. Cant see us getting tax payers money for it though. The government need to keep funding crossrail, HS1 and HS2. None of which will ever benefit us in their current guises.
 
Infrastructure is definitely the most important thing. Build it, and they will come. But not at the expense of the admittedly shoddy network that already exists, it has to be new and modern. Imagine a joined up Tees Valley area with rapid transport links into the middle of towns and urban areas.

Would cost millions and millions, and is not attractive enough to those in Westminster. Private funding required? Yeah good luck with that.
 
Need to work on the attitude of the people. Too many want to just damage their local area, happy to live on benefits, not care about scraping the barrel of life. You could bring all the jobs, but if people just want to deal drugs/ take drugs, then those jobs wont get filled.

Think about Middlesbrough and Stockton - how many areas within those towns are 1. sh*tholes? 2. alright? 3. nice? Both towns have more 1s than 2s and 3s and it's down to the people bringing down their areas.

We need a magic pill to raise everyone's intelligence, so they can think about their actions and consequences. We need competent, not corrupt police doing actual work. We need a change of people's attitudes.
 
Jack31439 said:
Infrastructure is definitely the most important thing. Build it, and they will come. But not at the expense of the admittedly shoddy network that already exists, it has to be new and modern. Imagine a joined up Tees Valley area with rapid transport links into the middle of towns and urban areas.

Would cost millions and millions, and is not attractive enough to those in Westminster. Private funding required? Yeah good luck with that.
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I'd say infrastructure is only PART of the solution. You say "build it and they will come" but why are they coming ?

You need to attract investment / visitors to the town, and you're not going to do that just through a good transport network. You need to create a reason for people to want to travel around the area.
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
I'd say infrastructure is only PART of the solution. You say "build it and they will come" but why are they coming ?

You need to attract investment / visitors to the town, and you're not going to do that just through a good transport network. You need to create a reason for people to want to travel around the area.
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Agree.

We need a quirk or raison d'etre for the central Teesside urban/industrial conurbation.

It was steel, bulk chemicals, ship building etc. those days are gone, I applaud the efforts to make us a green energy hub of sorts.

A big focus on green investment in the area, in enticing big international firms etc, university campuses focused on battery technology, wind power, green transport, sustainable building, oil and gas decommissioning with the industry around the freeport area to realise these R&D efforts into a sustainable future.

Enough of those well paid technical, education and engineering jobs with their attached supply chain and support services, coupled with a sustained period investment into a 'city centre' area (for want of a better word). Nice modern housing / apartments with mixed socialising and recreational stuff intermingled up and down the river with something akin to the Elizabeth line running around from Darlo, H'pool, central Teesside etc.

It would take years and billions though, which could be achievable, but it would take a singular approach from a 'Teesside' perspective, not the two counties and four (?) unitary authorities and various different town councils and planning departments etc. that it would have to go through now, who only want to focus on their bit.

In short, I think that is probably more to do with the lack of invest and 'bigger picture' thinking when it comes to our area than anything else.

I'd also add that the Labour central hierarchy seem to treat us with indifference as an almost banker, and the Tories treat us with contempt and platitudes that the weak minded seem to lap up, despite all the evidence of their own eyes every time they enter the poorer central areas.
 
The point about infrastructure in my opinion isn't necessarily about local infrastructure, it's more about linking up to the cities. High speed trains in to Newcastle / Leeds etc. I'm talking New Deal level of spending across the north - sadly it will never happen.
 
Teesside has always relied upon the public sector for employment and given the tories have ripped most of it to pieces were always going to be hit harder because of that.

So, in no particular order I'd say;

- locate government agencies/civil service here.

- incentivise private sector investment, with grants, especially foreign investment (thanks brexit), including specific market sectors eg green energy and build up local expertise.

- ensure infrastructure is fit for purpose.

The levelling up agenda is, like most government policy, more about words than action, so I'm yet to see any real traction.
 
SmogOnTheTees said:
Need to work on the attitude of the people. Too many want to just damage their local area, happy to live on benefits, not care about scraping the barrel of life. You could bring all the jobs, but if people just want to deal drugs/ take drugs, then those jobs wont get filled.

Think about Middlesbrough and Stockton - how many areas within those towns are 1. sh*tholes? 2. alright? 3. nice? Both towns have more 1s than 2s and 3s and it's down to the people bringing down their areas.

We need a magic pill to raise everyone's intelligence, so they can think about their actions and consequences. We need competent, not corrupt police doing actual work. We need a change of people's attitudes.
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This might be unpopular but I’ll say it anyway.

And yeh I know it’s a sweeping generalisation.

I’m a southerner by birth, I came to Teesside Uni to study, I got a job at Wilton and stayed a few years and I love the area and stay connected through the football team.

“Where you from mate?” “Peterborough” I would reply. “Oh so London then?”

Basically I’m trying to say you’ve all got chips on your shoulders about Londoners and the south and that probably ain’t changed much.

In a nutshell it’s a Teesside inferiority complex that’s holding you back.
 
Continue supporting hi tech companies such as biotechnology , renewables etc . FUJIFILM has 1100 staff on Teesside employed in biotech apparently. that’s brilliant
 
One of the other key things that's needed to improve a city / town is to reduce "brain drain" where graduates feel a need to move away to make a career for themselves, because the opportunities just aren't there on Teesside.

My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I moved away 20 odd years ago when we finished uni, as our earning potential was so much higher in London / South East, and are now settled down here. If there was the same type of jobs available when we left uni then perhaps we'd still be living on Teesside?
 
As Lizard I moved away many years ago, first for University and then work, encouraged to do so by parents and all my family/peers have been on the same path. Teesside needs to reverse that, first by being aspirational so that people are able to achieve their ambitions living here.

This is something easier to do than previously due to digital connectivity, but you still need a lifestyle to aspire to locally where you live and I think that's something that North Yorkshire (including Teesside) has plenty to offer

I guess what I am saying is it's about changing mind sets as much as investment, we all need to be less parochial, but at the same time have something to advocate the area for (that's where investment and infrastructure are important too). Teesside is a great area to live in but many of us and even our leaders and politicians talk it down imho.
 
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If the football team was successful, the rest will follow.
If someone came and threw a billion at the club, stadium, training, surrounding area like they did with City, the rest would follow with the publicity the town received.
 
The_Lizards_Jumpers said:
One of the other key things that's needed to improve a city / town is to reduce "brain drain" where graduates feel a need to move away to make a career for themselves, because the opportunities just aren't there on Teesside.

My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I moved away 20 odd years ago when we finished uni, as our earning potential was so much higher in London / South East, and are now settled down here. If there was the same type of jobs available when we left uni then perhaps we'd still be living on Teesside?
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Hopefully the evolution of WFH and hybrid working models for traditional office based roles will help with that.
 
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