News: Rotherham Gateway Station funding welcomed
The board at the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has approved £11.35m to support the multimillion pound regeneration project around a new Rotherham Gateway Station.
As reported by Rothbiz earlier this month, the gainshare funding will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “I’ve repeatedly said that significant investment is needed in our rail network - because if we want people to stay near and go far, we need better public transport.
“The £11.35 million investment into Rotherham Gateway Station is a vital step in delivering that future. It’s about more than just a new station - it’s about creating a gateway to opportunity, growth, and innovation.
“The new station will sit at the heart of a transformational regeneration project, supporting high-tech industries, new homes, and green public spaces. It will improve journey times and connectivity not just within South Yorkshire, but to key centres across the North, Midlands, and beyond.
“We do need more government support to complete our vision. That’s why Rotherham Gateway was included in Lord Blunkett’s Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail because it will help connect our people to the opportunities they deserve if we get it right - better jobs, better education, and a better quality of life. It’s one of the ways we’re building a world-class transport network in South Yorkshire that works for everyone.”
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The masterplan for the project was published last week setting out an employment-led phased approach with a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate that aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.
The 20-year programme of transformation, includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm.
The business case for the Station and wider masterplan area highlights the potential to create 1,200 new jobs, underlining the significant economic impact the development is expected to bring to the region.
Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “Back in 2022 we set out proposals to return mainline intercity trains to Rotherham for the first time since the mid-1980s. It’s great now to be able to progress those plans further, confirming additional funding to move to the next stage of development and for site acquisitions. We’re also setting out proposals for opportunities for more jobs and homes in the area around the proposed station, including connectivity into the town centre and access to the tram-train network.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity for our economy and our community, which would put Rotherham residents with half an hour’s travel of the centre of Leeds and an hour from Birmingham, expanding the work and leisure opportunities for Rotherham people as well as access to our borough. We’re determined to forge ahead with securing the infrastructure our borough needs to create new opportunities for years to come.”
The project has also got the backing of the local business sector.
Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, said: "This station would act as a catalyst to transform the borough through wider urban regeneration opportunities, creating a new landscape that will be attractive to new industries and delivering transformational social and economic benefits."
Lisa Pogson, Chair of the Rotherham Business Growth Board, added: "The proposed new station offers the opportunity to re-establish fast, direct rail services to business and leisure destinations lost in the 1980s. By integrating Rotherham Gateway into future northern rail timetables as they are developed, the project will also minimise disruption for existing passengers while delivering new, faster connections to key destinations."
Images: RMBC
As reported by Rothbiz earlier this month, the gainshare funding will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement.
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “I’ve repeatedly said that significant investment is needed in our rail network - because if we want people to stay near and go far, we need better public transport.
“The £11.35 million investment into Rotherham Gateway Station is a vital step in delivering that future. It’s about more than just a new station - it’s about creating a gateway to opportunity, growth, and innovation.
“The new station will sit at the heart of a transformational regeneration project, supporting high-tech industries, new homes, and green public spaces. It will improve journey times and connectivity not just within South Yorkshire, but to key centres across the North, Midlands, and beyond.
“We do need more government support to complete our vision. That’s why Rotherham Gateway was included in Lord Blunkett’s Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail because it will help connect our people to the opportunities they deserve if we get it right - better jobs, better education, and a better quality of life. It’s one of the ways we’re building a world-class transport network in South Yorkshire that works for everyone.”
Advertisement
The masterplan for the project was published last week setting out an employment-led phased approach with a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate that aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.
The 20-year programme of transformation, includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm.
The business case for the Station and wider masterplan area highlights the potential to create 1,200 new jobs, underlining the significant economic impact the development is expected to bring to the region.
Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “Back in 2022 we set out proposals to return mainline intercity trains to Rotherham for the first time since the mid-1980s. It’s great now to be able to progress those plans further, confirming additional funding to move to the next stage of development and for site acquisitions. We’re also setting out proposals for opportunities for more jobs and homes in the area around the proposed station, including connectivity into the town centre and access to the tram-train network.
“This is a once in a generation opportunity for our economy and our community, which would put Rotherham residents with half an hour’s travel of the centre of Leeds and an hour from Birmingham, expanding the work and leisure opportunities for Rotherham people as well as access to our borough. We’re determined to forge ahead with securing the infrastructure our borough needs to create new opportunities for years to come.”
Carrie Sudbury, Chief Executive, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, said: "This station would act as a catalyst to transform the borough through wider urban regeneration opportunities, creating a new landscape that will be attractive to new industries and delivering transformational social and economic benefits."
Lisa Pogson, Chair of the Rotherham Business Growth Board, added: "The proposed new station offers the opportunity to re-establish fast, direct rail services to business and leisure destinations lost in the 1980s. By integrating Rotherham Gateway into future northern rail timetables as they are developed, the project will also minimise disruption for existing passengers while delivering new, faster connections to key destinations."
Images: RMBC
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