News: South Yorkshire shunted into sidelines as MML electrification paused again
Sheffield is set to remain the largest city in the UK without electrified railways after the Government announced a pause of the electrification of the Midland Mainline (MML) in the North and Midlands.
The key route connects London St Pancras and Sheffield via the East Midlands. Working north, Network Rail had previously envisaged reaching Sheffield at the end of 2020 but work was paused at Kettering and effectively cancelled when plans were announced for new bi-mode intercity trains that are able to run on both electrified and non-electrified lines.
Work reportedly continued on the plans but DfT documents relating to the recent spending review show that the off-and-on project has been paused again.
The previous government's Network North document proposed an extension of the electrification of the MML from Sheffield to Doncaster and Leeds (potentially through Rotherham and its planned new station). Electrification to Sheffield was included in the proposition set out in Lord Blunkett's Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail.
Progress on the MML is in contrast to the upgrade of the East Coast Mainline (ECML) that links Doncaster and London which completed in 2020 and paved the way for the introduction of new trains, such as LNER’s Azuma and Hull Trains’ Paragon fleets.
Government documents confirm: "The next phase of electrification [phase 3 to Sheffield] of the Midland Main Line has been paused. Due to rising costs and the substantial electrification that has already been delivered, we are prioritising our funding on other schemes over the Spending Review period. We will continue to keep the potential for full electrification of the route under review as part of our plans to decarbonise our railways and as funding becomes available in future."
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combimned Authority says that it means that Sheffield will be relying instead on older, more polluting diesel trains that are slower, less reliable, and worse for the environment.
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South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “There’s frustration in the region. After decades of national underinvestment in our transport network, we’re having to wait longer for vital rail improvements that would create jobs, opportunities and economic growth. It feels like one step forward and two steps back.
“We were told HS2 would come to Sheffield. That was cancelled. Now electrification of Midland Main Line is being paused. All we’re asking for is a fair deal.
“I’ve raised my concerns directly with the government, and I’ll keep doing so. South Yorkshire deserves a modern, reliable, and sustainable transport network - and I won’t stop fighting for it.”
The region previously missed out when HS2 to Sheffield was one of the first legs to be cancelled which would have reduced the journey time from Sheffield to London from 120 minutes to 87 minutes, with additional seating capacity on brand new electric trains through electrification of MML.
In the wake of the scaling back of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Rothbiz has previously highlighted some alternative routes and the options most likely to serve Rotherham being an upgrade of the Erewash Valley line and the "Old Road" between Clay Cross Junction and Masborough Junction. An upgrade and electrification of the route north of Sheffield to Leeds has also been looked at, as has a new high speed line between broadly Rotherham and Leeds, known as the "M18 Short Alignment" that would connect to the northern leg of the previous HS2 Eastern leg into Leeds.
The 2025 Spending Review set departmental budgets for day‑to‑day spending until 2028‑29, and until 2029‑30 for capital investment. Whilst committing £92 billion to the DfT, and agreeing more than 50 road and rail upgrades, very little will impact South Yorkshire directly.
Images: Google Maps
The key route connects London St Pancras and Sheffield via the East Midlands. Working north, Network Rail had previously envisaged reaching Sheffield at the end of 2020 but work was paused at Kettering and effectively cancelled when plans were announced for new bi-mode intercity trains that are able to run on both electrified and non-electrified lines.
Work reportedly continued on the plans but DfT documents relating to the recent spending review show that the off-and-on project has been paused again.
The previous government's Network North document proposed an extension of the electrification of the MML from Sheffield to Doncaster and Leeds (potentially through Rotherham and its planned new station). Electrification to Sheffield was included in the proposition set out in Lord Blunkett's Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail.
Progress on the MML is in contrast to the upgrade of the East Coast Mainline (ECML) that links Doncaster and London which completed in 2020 and paved the way for the introduction of new trains, such as LNER’s Azuma and Hull Trains’ Paragon fleets.
Government documents confirm: "The next phase of electrification [phase 3 to Sheffield] of the Midland Main Line has been paused. Due to rising costs and the substantial electrification that has already been delivered, we are prioritising our funding on other schemes over the Spending Review period. We will continue to keep the potential for full electrification of the route under review as part of our plans to decarbonise our railways and as funding becomes available in future."
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combimned Authority says that it means that Sheffield will be relying instead on older, more polluting diesel trains that are slower, less reliable, and worse for the environment.
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South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “There’s frustration in the region. After decades of national underinvestment in our transport network, we’re having to wait longer for vital rail improvements that would create jobs, opportunities and economic growth. It feels like one step forward and two steps back.
“We were told HS2 would come to Sheffield. That was cancelled. Now electrification of Midland Main Line is being paused. All we’re asking for is a fair deal.
“I’ve raised my concerns directly with the government, and I’ll keep doing so. South Yorkshire deserves a modern, reliable, and sustainable transport network - and I won’t stop fighting for it.”
The region previously missed out when HS2 to Sheffield was one of the first legs to be cancelled which would have reduced the journey time from Sheffield to London from 120 minutes to 87 minutes, with additional seating capacity on brand new electric trains through electrification of MML.
In the wake of the scaling back of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Rothbiz has previously highlighted some alternative routes and the options most likely to serve Rotherham being an upgrade of the Erewash Valley line and the "Old Road" between Clay Cross Junction and Masborough Junction. An upgrade and electrification of the route north of Sheffield to Leeds has also been looked at, as has a new high speed line between broadly Rotherham and Leeds, known as the "M18 Short Alignment" that would connect to the northern leg of the previous HS2 Eastern leg into Leeds.
The 2025 Spending Review set departmental budgets for day‑to‑day spending until 2028‑29, and until 2029‑30 for capital investment. Whilst committing £92 billion to the DfT, and agreeing more than 50 road and rail upgrades, very little will impact South Yorkshire directly.
Images: Google Maps
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