News: Positive signals for Rotherham Mainline Station plan

A potential new £100m+ station on the mainline in Rotherham has been given a timetable for its arrival - Spring 2028.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and Rotherham Council have been developing a scheme to return mainline train services to the borough for the first time since the 1980s. A site at Parkgate is the frontrunner for a regeneration project described by experts as "a relatively straightforward scheme for delivery within three to four years."

£1m has been secured to develop the Outline Business Case and £10m in funding has been secured for land assembly, with Rotherham Council's cabinet being asked for approval to start negotiations to buy four properties.

Rothbiz revealed last year that the total project cost was £107.6m. £99.5m for the station and £7.1m for the tram-train stop when it went before the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).

Cabinet will also be asked for permission to investigate the potential use of powers for a Compulsory Purchase or Transport and Works Act orders to acquire the necessary land, although negotiation remains the preferred option.

If successful, the proposals would see new direct services into York and Birmingham, with faster services to Leeds, Sheffield, and Doncaster than currently offered.

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Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy Cllr Denise Lelliott said: “Taken together with a new tram train stop, a new mainline station would radically improve the town’s connectivity, significantly improving local, regional and national rail connections for residents and businesses, offering greater access to employment, whilst helping to grow local businesses.”

Funding to acquire the properties has been secured by Rotherham Council through the Government’s Towns Fund. Funding for the outline business case is from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), with the council hopeful of more government cash to come.

Preparation of the masterplan is underway and focuses on the station, the location of facilities and key connections to the tram train and beyond. It also sets out a longer-term vision for the surrounding area in order to capitalise on the benefits that significantly improved connectivity to the national rail network could bring to the town.

The masterplan has also identified a preferred location for the station building and a layout for supporting facilities including car parking, a pick up/drop off area and space to accommodate rail replacement bus services.

Network Rail and Transport for the North have been working on the project and Weston Williamson + Partners secured a £349,000 contract from the council to carry out the masterplan study. The masterplan is set to be finalised in November.

A report to cabinet states: "Rotherham suffers from comparatively poor rail connectivity - the town is currently served only by a branch line at Rotherham Central station. Existing rail services at Rotherham Central comprise three stopping trains per hour, with a limited range of direct destinations and lack of fast and frequent connections to key centres of employment. In contrast, the Sheffield to Leeds rail corridor currently operates five passenger services per hour between these two cities, mostly bypassing the town.

"This new station will significantly improve local, regional, and national rail connectivity for local people and businesses, offering access to employment and business growth opportunities, and contributing significantly to the economic regeneration of the town.

"It is anticipated that the new mainline heavy rail station could offer mainline connections to Sheffield, Doncaster, Leeds, York and Birmingham. Taken together with local connectivity offered by a new Tram Train Station adjacent, this project will radically improve the town’s connectivity, delivering social, economic and environmental benefits."

With the development of the project and acquisitions set to take some time, construction is not due to start until 2026, with an opening for the new station pencilled in for Spring 2028.

Images: Weston Williamson + Partners

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News: Integrated Rail Plan published - what it means for Rotherham

Communities in the east of Rotherham will no longer have a high speed rail lane running through them under the Government's latest plans.

But any chance of levelling up the borough through new rail connections has been delayed, with Rotherham and Sheffield missed off plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).

The Government has published its Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands which will transform both east to west and north to south links, building three new high-speed lines, improving rail services to and between the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire and the North West.

The headline news is that the HS2 Phase 2b Eastern leg will no longer reach Leeds and instead the completion of the electrification of the Midland Main Line (due in the early 2030s) would allow high speed journeys from London to Chesterfield and Sheffield in the same times to those originally proposed by HS2.

A change in route in 2016 from having a HS2 station in Sheffield at Meadowhall, included a spur to Sheffield whilst the fast route to Leeds went through the East of Rotherham, affecting Wales, Aston, Ulley, Brampton-en-le–Morthen, Thurcroft, Bramley, Ravenfield and Hooton Roberts.

The Government has looked again at this leg. The plan stating: "in the light of cost increases, concerns about intermediate markets, development of plans for other schemes and analysis indicating a longer delivery timeframe since the route was confirmed in summer 2017, the Government has considered whether similar or better benefits could be obtained in a more affordable way, earlier and allow for an iterative approach to delivery."

The plan includes a pledge to look at options on how best to take HS2 services to Leeds. This means that safeguarding of the previously proposed high speed route through Rotherham will remain in place pending conclusion of this work - further uncertainty for property owners.

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On NPR, a rapid, reliable and resilient rail network between the North's six biggest cities and other economic centres, the latest plan does not include any new lines or upgrades between Sheffield and Leeds with improvements on the Hope Valley line to Manchester already planned.

The "core" network also doesn't include a new mainline station in Rotherham or a Dearne Valley parkway station.

The plans state: "In the light of the Government’s plans for HS2 East set out above, proposals for improvements between Sheffield and Leeds, and York and Leeds, will need revisiting, as work to date has assumed the HS2 line to Leeds is constructed (and used for both Sheffield-Leeds and LeedsYork services). NPR will be optimised as a result of our improved plans."

Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority (now South yorkshire MCA) documents showed that a new NPR station on the main line at Rotherham to support the economic regeneration of the town was in proposals from sub-national transport body, Transport for the North (TfN).

With a "northern spur" from Sheffield, a new mainline station for Rotherham and a Barnsley Dearne Valley parkway station would have been progressed through NPR and not HS2. A location for the Rotherham station had been expected to be in Parkgate and the Government even granted the borough some £10m from its Town Deal to progress work on a new mainline station.

Moving ahead with some of TfN's proposals, the plan states: "Sheffield and Leeds are the two largest cities in Yorkshire, and the core of their respective regions. However, despite being 39 miles apart by rail, connectivity is poor, with the fastest journey time currently being 40 minutes, which is only achieved once per hour for most of the day. Connections will be further considered within the work on how best to take HS2 services to Leeds."

Looking ahead, the plan states that the core NPR work "would be capable of future possible options to improve services to Sheffield, Rotherham, Hull, Newcastle, Bradford depending on decisions beyond the IRP core pipeline."

Work on the study of route options to take HS2 to Leeds will be led by Network Rail but no timescales are given.

Images: DFT

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News: New mainline Rotherham station put forward to Government

Hopes for a new mainline station in Rotherham have been given a boost with it being put forward to the Government as part of plans to improve connectivity between northern cities as well as between London, the Midlands and the north.

The Integrated Rail Plan for the Midlands and the north is framed by the Government's commitment to bring forward transformational rail improvements along the HS2 route as quickly as possible.

The Sheffield city region (SCR) has been asked for its input, and having already put together its own Integrated Rail Plan, the mayoral combined authority (MCA) has put forward a number of high profile schemes and projects where it believes the Government should intervene.

Interventions include things like the HS2 "Northern Loop" out of Sheffield to Leeds, completing the electrification of the Midland Mainline and a national rail connection to Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

It also includes: "A new [Northern Powerhouse Rail] NPR station on the Midland Mainline at Rotherham which will significantly enhance regional and national rail connectivity for Rotherham and open up development opportunities. This should be integrated with the tram-train network to connect to the town centre."

A 2018 study concluded that new stations in Rotherham and in the Dearne Valley (Goldthorpe) on a proposed NPR line could boost the economic benefits from HS2.

A new mainline station for Rotherham and a Barnsley Dearne Valley parkway station are set to be progressed through NPR and not HS2. A location for the Rotherham station has not yet been confirmed.

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Rotherham has not benefited from intercity rail connectivity since the late 1980s when the station at Masbrough was closed. Currently, local connections to Sheffield and Doncaster are available with an hourly, hour long service to Leeds.

A paper to the SCR MCA states: "There is the opportunity through NPR to transform the connectivity of Rotherham and the Dearne Valley. New mainline stations at Rotherham and Barnsley Dearne Valley would transform their strategic connectivity, reconnecting Rotherham to the intercity rail network and achieving a step-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.

Initial analysis by TfN shows how the Barnsley Dearne Valley and Rotherham stations can grow the rail market in South Yorkshire with around 3,500 additional passengers per day at Barnsley Dearne Valley. This will reduce the need for cars to travel into towns and cities and encourage sustainable travel, with approximately 1,000 fewer car trips per day."

Aspirations are for two trains per hour between Doncaster and Sheffield, serving Rotherham, two trains per hour between Sheffield and Leeds, serving Rotherham, and for one train per hour between Rotherham and London.

The paper also confirms that Transport for the North (TfN), which brings together representatives from across the North, is also proposing a new NPR station on the main line at Rotherham. It adds: "This station will allow NPR trains between Sheffield and Leeds and Hull to stop there and will significantly enhance regional rail connectivity for Rotherham, enabling residents and businesses to capitalise on the benefits generated from NPR services. The Manchester Airport to Cleethorpes NPR service could also stop at the proposed station."

Another Rotherham scheme put forward is a permanent tram-train service between Sheffield and Rotherham, extending the network to Doncaster and Doncaster Sheffield Airport, via Swinton in Rotherham. This is seen as critical to releasing capacity for HS2 and NPR services.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Sheffield city region, said: "Our city region sits on the boundary between the North and the Midlands and also at a key juncture between HS2 and NPR. We therefore want to ensure we secure a more integrated approach to the design and delivery of these two major rail projects as well as services linking the North and Midlands."

On the interventions, he adds: "Completion of this package of improvements would deliver a HS2 and NPR-ready section of the network within the next ten years."

Images: HS2 Ltd

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News: HS2 review to look at links to Northern Powerhouse Rail

A potential pan-Northern rail system that would certainly provide more benefits to Rotherham could be prioritised ahead of the North-South HS2 project depending on the results of a recently announced Government review.

Last week, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced an independently-led government review that will look at whether and how HS2 should proceed, using all existing evidence on the project to consider its benefits and impacts, affordability and efficiency, deliverability and scope, its phasing, including its relationship with Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Rothbiz has previously reported on potential new stations in Rotherham and in the Dearne Valley on a proposed Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) line - a rapid, reliable and resilient rail network between the North's six biggest cities and other economic centres. The stations would also boost the economic benefits for the Sheffield city region (SCR) from HS2.

There is opposition to the HS2 scheme from within Rotherham since a 2b route realignment was recommended in 2016.

Terms of reference for the new review include analysis of cost reductions such as building only Phase 1, combining Phases 1 and 2a and different choices or phasing of Phase 2b, taking account of the interfaces with NPR.

The review is also expected to rigorously examine and state its view on "whether and how the project could be reprioritised; in particular, whether and, if so how, Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) (including the common sections with HS2 Phase 2b) could be prioritised over delivering the southern sections of HS2."

It will also look at "whether any improvements would benefit the integration of HS2, NPR and other rail projects in the north of England or Midlands."

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A number of proposals for improving rail services in Rotherham feature in a new strategic plan launched by the Sheffield city region (SCR), including a long-discussed new mainline station.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: "The Prime Minister has been clear that transport infrastructure has the potential to drive economic growth, redistribute opportunity and support towns and cities across the UK, but that investments must be subject to continuous assessment of their costs and benefits.

"That's why we are undertaking this independent and rigorous review of HS2."

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "I welcome the Government's announcement of their review to examine the costs and benefits of HS2. If ministers would like to speak to residents in Bramley, Aston, Wales or beyond they will hear loud and clear that the M18 route would only bring years of inconvenience, no local benefits, and at a huge cost. People are quite rightly angry and upset.

"We already know that the government has downgraded the proposal through South Yorkshire, thinking they can make savings by giving us a second class service.

"Now they have the opportunity to reconsider; either join us up to the network properly by moving the proposal back to Meadowhall, or save us all the trouble and the huge bill by cancelling the phase 2b leg altogether."

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News: New major road through Rotherham?

A new dual carriageway through the Rotherham borough is being looked at by a Sub-national Transport Body as a way of boosting the economy by improving the east-west connectivity across the North of England.

The proposed route would connect the M1 at Tankersley with the M18 at Micklebring.

It is being assessed by Transport for the North (TfN), which brings together representatives from across the North, as part of a wider study into a Trans Pennine Tunnel and reducing the journey time between Manchester and Sheffield.

As reported by Rothbiz in January, TfN is leading on developing alternative options after a long tunnel under the Peak District National Park was considered to be technically feasible but would have a cost that would be prohibitive and offer poor value for money.

Minutes for a recent meeting of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership confirms that: "TfN are about to commission the next stage of design work to further examine the "alternative" options which will involve a shorter (4-6 mile) tunnel, together with additional A616/628 upgrades and a new dual carriageway linking the M1 at J35a to the A1."

TfN studies have shown that the number, capacity, reliability and resilience of east-west road connections are seen as a constraint on the Northern economy. 40% of respondents in one of its surveys reported that they experienced problems, mainly congestion and queuing, on South Pennine routes.

Identifying its priorities around major roads, TfN picked out a broad corridor between the M1 potential interface with a trans-Pennine tunnel corridor (around J35 and J35a is the current favourite) and the M18 and M180 in the east, with onward connections to the Ports of Hull, Immingham and Grimsby. It said that improvements would provide long term connectivity and a "missing link" offering a viable alternative to the busy M62.

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Any new road starting from the M1 at J35 or J35a would need to cross the rail line between Chapletown and Elsecar and pass close to the villages of Harley and Wentworth, including the Grade I listed Wentworth Woodhouse and its follies such as Hoober Stand and The Needle's Eye.

Heading east, the road could pass between Rawmarsh and Swinton before crossing the busy A633, the rail line and River Don at Kilnhurst, before avoiding the golf club and reservoir at Thrybergh. Crossing the A630 around Hooton Roberts and joining the M18 somewhere between Micklebring and Clifton, the route would also have to contend with the proposed HS2 line which is also set to travel North-South alongside the M1 and M18.

Another proposed route could travel south of Wentworth between Greasbrough and Upper Haugh but would need to cross through the busy Parkgate and Rawmarsh area and the key specialist steelworks at Aldwarke.

A stage 1 report on wider transport connectivity around the trans-Pennine tunnel also includes a proposed intervention for a "new strategic link between M1 north of Rotherham and the A1(M)/M18, west and south of Doncaster respectively.

The study is aimed at identifying if additional transport investment could extend the benefits of the tunnel across a much wider area. It states: "Initial traffic forecasts indicate a significant level of traffic travelling south along the M18 and then north along the M1 to access the Tunnel. Such a route [the new dual carriageway] would cater for this traffic and provide improved connectivity via the Tunnel between Humber Ports and Greater Manchester, as well as to Doncaster-Sheffield Airport.

"It would also provide a direct link to the A1(M) for north-south freight traffic from the North West. This route would take traffic off the M18 and M1 between Doncaster and the Tunnel, along a route up to 15km shorter than the current route via the M1 and M18 and provide a significant benefit to freight traffic.

"This route would also lead to a reduction in the level on traffic increase on the M1 north of Junction 32 and this may avoid the need for a more substantial capacity improvement on the M1."

A second alternative option is also being looked at, a more northerly route providing a new strategic link between the M1 north of Barnsley and the A1 north of Doncaster, with an option to extend to the M18/M180 junction.

TfN website

Images: TfN

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News: Transport for the North outlines long term plan

Transport for the North (TfN) has published its thirty year plan, the first of its kind, which outlines how transport connections across the North of England need to be transformed by 2050 to drive growth and close the economic gap between the North and the rest of England.

TfN brings together representatives from across the North and is being given statutory status by the Government so that the organisation's plans are formally considered by Whitehall when taking decisions about transport investment in the North.

Aimed at rebalancing the UK's economy through a sustained 30-year programme of transport infrastructure investment, the Draft Strategic Transport Plan could deliver a £100 billion economic boost and 850,000 additional jobs by 2050.

The organisation is working to make it easier for people and goods to travel across the region, improving access to jobs, supporting businesses and improving the movement of freight and goods across the North and to ports and airports.

Seven corridors of opportunity are identified in the plan that are key to achieving these aims. For example, Rotherham and the Sheffield city region (SCR) are key to the Southern Pennines corridor which identifies proposed road and rail improvements from the Port of Liverpool to the Humber Ports, via Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Sheffield City Region, as well as strengthening cross-border movements into the East Midlands.

The North West to Sheffield City Region corridor looks at strengthening rail connectivity between the advanced manufacturing clusters and assets in Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Sheffield City Region, with improved connectivity from the North in to Scotland.

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Alongside the corridors, Transport for the North has for the first time outlined its emerging vision for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), a rapid, reliable and resilient rail network between the North's six biggest cities and other economic centres. This is accompanied by an updated Rail Strategy for investment in the North's existing lines, stations, services and franchise operations, reflecting the planned integration of Rail North into Transport for the North in April this year.

The vision for NPR includes upgraded lines between Sheffield and Manchester and Sheffield and Hull. The Government has been working closely with TfN in the development work for junctions between NPR and HS2. For example, a junction north of Sheffield at Clayton, would enable trains to run through Sheffield and re-join the HS2 mainline to Leeds. It is being considered in the design by HS2 Ltd as part of the Phase 2B Hybrid Bill work but the loop North of Sheffield has not yet been committed to.

Using new junctions on to the HS2 mainline in Yorkshire, Sheffield to Leeds journey times could be around 26 minutes, compared with 41 minutes currently.

Another project that is progressing is the Trans Pennine Tunnel. TfN is leading on developing alternative options after a long tunnel under the Peak District National Park was considered to be technically feasible but would have a cost that would be prohibitive and offer poor value for money.

The investment priorities are backed up by research that links the North's prime capabilities in advanced manufacturing, digital, energy and health innovation. Rotherham is picked out as an economic centre and improving access to the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and its assets is a priority.

John Cridland, Transport for the North Chairman, said: "The North is a rich, diverse region and home to around 16 million people. We have vibrant communities, buzzing cities, five stunning national parks, an abundance of talent and a wealth of high-performing businesses. Transport for the North's vision is of a thriving North of England, where modern transport connections drive economic growth and support an excellent quality of life.

"For the first time, civic and business leaders and transport operators are speaking with one voice on transport to make sure the North fulfils its potential. Our plan proposes a revolutionary investment programme that will make it possible to travel to high quality jobs. This is an ambitious programme that will improve our roads and railways, and will also drive a sea change in skills development in the North and ensuring we meet that historic gap in investment."

Martin McKervey, a Sheffield City Region LEP Board lead member for Transport, and a member of Transport for the North Partnership Board, added: "Sheffield City Region has worked closely with Transport for the North in the development of this important Plan and we are very supportive of its aims and ambitions with regard to the strategic role of transport in enabling the realisation of the Northern Powerhouse."

The SCR has recently published its own transport strategy that aims to grow the regional economy by £500m, boosting economic growth by making it easier for people, particularly those in the most deprived areas, to get to work or places of education.

TfN website
SCR website

Images: TfN

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