Plans to re-open Don Valley Line and Askern Line in Yorkshire and restore passenger trains

Cases for funding have been lodged with the Government to reopen the Don Valley Line, between Sheffield and Stocksbridge, and the Askern Line, between Doncaster and Knottingley, for local passenger services.

The proposed schemes are two of 13 shortlisted in October last year to progress to the next stage of the Government’s £500m Restoring Your Railway fund, designed to reinstate local rail services and restore closed stations.

Mr Coppard said: “There is huge support for our plans to reopen the Askern and Don Valley railway lines, because of the chance it gives us to level-up communities currently left behind because of poor public transport links.

“Fixing South Yorkshire’s public transport system has to include reopening our railways and better joining up our train, tram and bus networks. Because our communities rely on these links to access the work, education and social opportunities that everyone deserves.

“The government has set a timeframe for levelling up transport connectivity across our region by 2030, but in order to achieve that goal we need them to deliver the full Northern Powerhouse Rail and match our energy and ambition for upgrading services. Projects such as ‘Restoring Your Railways’ offer a good starting point.”

Sheffield City Council, Doncaster Council, Derbyshire County Council, Northeast Derbyshire District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council and Network Rail will play a leading role in the delivery of the schemes.

There are further plans to restore services on the Barrow Hill Line between Sheffield and Chesterfield, which are being developed by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Network Rail.

It could see stations reinstated at Sheffield Victoria, Beighton, Killamarsh, Eckington/Renishaw, Barrow Hill/Staveley and Whittington, and the return of a regular service linking Sheffield, Northeast Derbyshire and Chesterfield.

Proposals for opening a new station at Waverley have also been submitted for Government review.

Coun Julie Grocutt, who is co-chairman of Sheffield Council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Change Policy Committee and a councillor for Stocksbridge said: “There is no doubt that restoring passenger rail services between Stocksbridge and Sheffield on the Don Valley Line would provide significant economic and social benefits to Stocksbridge, Deepcar, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge and Neepsend, as well as neighbouring communities.

“Existing transport connectivity in this area is poor. Stocksbridge is less than 10 miles from Sheffield City Centre but on current bus services, journey times are taking as long as around one hour.

“The key to enabling our communities to grow and prosper is to connect people to opportunities, in a sustainable and inclusive way. That can only be done with an efficient and reliable public transport system that people trust. Whilst buses are a critical part of our transport network, and we will continue to fight for better services, a rail link is essential for long-term growth that helps to meet our net zero targets.”

The Don Valley Line is a section of the former Woodhead route that ran between Manchester and Sheffield. It closed to passenger services in 1970, but a link remains for the Stocksbridge steelworks that is still used by freight trains.

The Askern Line is a branch from the Shaftholme Junction of the East Coast Main Line to Knottingley that once had a regular passenger service between Doncaster and Wakefield. After it ended in 1948, the line was mainly used for colliery traffic, though in the past decade Grand Central began using it for long-distance services to and from London.