Monday, October 29, 2018

News: New Rotherham station would help maximise benefits of HS2

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New stations in Rotherham and in the Dearne Valley on a proposed "Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR)" line could boost the economic benefits for the Sheffield city region (SCR) from HS2.

Independent economic analysis also highlights the need for improved intra-regional connectivity in order to benefit the most from the £55.7 billion project.

The SCR has been provided with £1.3m in Government funding to study the impacts of the new route and how it can get the most out of HS2. The best scenario in the study is for HS2 stations at Sheffield Midland and Chesterfield and NPR stations at Rotherham and the Dearne Valley.

The Government has been urged to include a HS2 parkway station in the SCR and a Northern loop out of Sheffield Midland, which at present is only set to be served by a spur.

Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) is a rapid, reliable and resilient rail network between the North's six biggest cities and other economic centres. With continued research and analysis, Transport for the North is creating clear, fully-costed proposals for the multi-billion-pound scheme.

Initial findings from the delayed HS2 study include an analysis of including NPR parkway stations at Dearne Valley and Rotherham, which show that the economic benefit to the SCR increases to £1.3 billion over a 60 year appraisal period. Up from the £970m with HS2 stops just at Sheffield and Chesterfield.

The study, by Arup, Cushman & Wakefield and Ekosgen, also looks at wider economic benefits and shows that the two HS2 stations could help boost annual GVA above baseline figures by between £1.3 billion and £2.47 billion. With additional NPR stations, annual GVA could be boosted by £2.7 billion.

In terms of additional jobs, the HS2 stations could add between 11,930 and 23,270 jobs based on low and high growth scenarios. With additional NPR stations, an additional 24,060 could be created.

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The research states: "The economic evidence and strategic policy framework point towards two new intermediate NPR stations between Sheffield and Leeds at Rotherham, and the Dearne Towns as having the most transformative economic potential (recognising that Meadowhall can be connected to the HS2 hub at Sheffield through fast, high frequency public transport services).

"These new stations would transform the strategic connectivity of Rotherham and the Dearne Towns, achieving a stem-change in accessibility to the labour markets of Leeds and Sheffield as well as the national network. By doing so they can also provide a catalyst for accelerated regeneration and housing growth in the surrounding areas.

"Proposals for local transport improvements and reviewing planning policies in the context of the new stations would help maximise the benefits, and ensure development complements the role of nearby town centres."

Previous studies have shown that the only practical and cost effective way to enhance rail connectivity to Rotherham is to consider providing a new railway station on the mainline to take advantage of services that currently pass through the borough but do not stop.

Locations for a potential NPR stations for Rotherham or the Dearne have not been named. Best guesses for Rotherham would be on the mainline at the station at Masbrough that closed in 1987, or at Parkgate. "Rotherham Rail Station (Parkway)" is still a project in the SCR's Integrated Transport Block which sets out how to used Government funds and grants for sustainable local transport schemes.

Whilst land values are set to increase, analysis for the SCR shows that no new commercial or residential development is expected around a potential new Rotherham station, in contrast to Sheffield, Chesterfield and the Dearne which would share an additional 2.5 million sq ft of commercial development and 2,800 new residential units are envisaged.

HS2 consultations have designs being developed for a 6.7km long Sheffield Northern spur between Clayton and Thurnscoe which would connect the Dearne Valley Line existing railway to HS2.

As Rothbiz has previously reported, the SCR is developing the idea for a SCR Mass Transit project to enhance intra-regional connectivity. Rotherham features on a number of priority corridors including the Innovation Corridor, the River Don Corridor and the A631 Corridor.

SCR website

Images: SCR / HS2

6 comments:

Rod October 29, 2018 at 6:59 PM  

Masbrough would be the best place. Platforms are still extant after it closed in 1988, it’s a junction and trains have to slow for the curve from Holmes. The redundant old bus depot could be demolished to provide an adjacent car park on the West side with appropriate pedestrian access (bridge) provided over Union Street.

Anonymous,  October 30, 2018 at 3:53 PM  

Parkgate as a location as it stands is far too congested, yes masbroiugh would be a preferable location, I doubt however it will happen anytime soon, if the farcical tram train is anything to go by, not to mention the cost spiralling out of control.

Anonymous,  October 30, 2018 at 9:14 PM  

Well if they can waste £100 billion(increasing day by day)then a mere £20-40 million for a new Rotherham Station,is a drop in.ocean!

Anonymous,  November 1, 2018 at 7:58 AM  

Won’t happen. Should just reopen sheffield Victoria and then use the tram train to connect at least get some money out of that mess. Still trying to work out who will commute from parkgate to sheffield🤬

Anonymous,  November 2, 2018 at 11:34 AM  

Bugger Sheffield Victoria,bout time Rotherham got investment instead of being South Yorkshires poor relation.As for the tram train(which I worked on.construction)people need to understand,its a totally experimental system that many areas wanted,totally funded by central government.

Anonymous,  February 13, 2020 at 7:54 PM  

Rotherham Masboro is the best option, directly from tapton junction, or better still a super station around the milmoor ground area that straddles both the chr line and the Holmes chord, with hs2 running along the full length of the chr line joining the tjc3 at Masboro where it can continue North through the Dearne Valley to Clayton junction also swinton station would be far more beneficial than Goldthorpe as it can be remodeled to 4 track to serve for trains stopping on the slow lines and fly throughs on the fasts with likening to Sandy Biggleswade or St Neots , it's sad to see towns like Rotherham starved of investment, when you look at some of Englands new towns for example Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City and Peterborough, built following the model of a mainline station close by shopping leisure and business, in a hub , but for some reason Rotherham Council like to bang on about cultural diversity and creative spaces and any valuable land with potential gets wasted on a couple of fountains and a few benches, forge island for one example, cooperation street shops now demolished another example.

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