Column: Conservatives have a real plan for delivering positive change to Rother Valley

The problem is that the current Labour administration is tired and lacks vision, in both Rotherham Town Hall and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

This is resulting in huge sums of money being frittered away on ill-thought-out projects like patchwork cycle lanes, unused park and ride stations, bus lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods, all rebranded as “active travel neighbourhoods” to soften the Labour war on motorists.

We are presenting a local alternative of what this funding should be spent on. A real plan that would transform our economy and regenerate our left-behind communities.

Top of the list is connecting Dinnington and Maltby to National Rail by reintroducing passenger services on to the South Yorkshire Joint Railway. This is a project that I have championed previously. Under a local Conservative leader, it would be given the priority it deserves.

Secondly, securing a direct train service from Kiveton Park to London. This is very achievable as part of the current Hull Trains plan to introduce a Sheffield to London service via Worksop. However, we need our regional leaders to step up and ensure Kiveton is included.

Thirdly, targeting congestion hotspots such as the A57 Red Lion roundabout and the Treeton/Ulley crossroads, rather than throwing money at unwanted schemes such as the £6.5million Stag roundabout pedestrian underpass.

Continuing on our theme of pledging significant improvements to our roads and infrastructure, we would champion a new M18 motorway junction to serve Hellaby industrial park. This would open up new land for economic development, while relieving the pressure on the highway network through Hellaby and Maltby.

And finally, guaranteeing hourly bus services to our hospitals and providing direct bus services from our villages to Supertram stops at Halfway and Crystal Peaks, providing the bus service needed for our communities.

Our Local Conservative plan for Rother Valley is about tackling our local transport issues and encouraging people to use alternatives to cars, by providing a real alternative. After 50 years of being in power, Labour are out of ideas.