Plans to create 33,000 jobs at Doncaster Sheffield Airport submitted

A proposal that could deliver 33,000 in Yorkshire over the next 10 years will be formally submitted to the Government today.

The Sheffield City Region, Doncaster Council and Peel Group who own Doncaster Sheffield Airport are submitting an outline business case to the Government which could deliver a new national and regional rail connection to Doncaster Sheffield Airport by building a new station on the East Coast Mainline at the airport.

The group claims that with just 4.5 miles of new track required, the proposed GatewayEast Growth Hub Rail scheme will add high speed electrified rail connectivity to the airport, linking it into the East Coast Mainline and expanding its catchment area as far away as North London suburbs. The plans would quadruple the number of people with airport access via a sustainable transport mode from 2.4 million to 9 million within a 90-minute rail journey.

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Airport bosses say the move would alleviate congestion on the East Coast Mainline (ECML) and create an airport with great potential to expand by making use of largely existing infrastructure.

How the airport could appearHow the airport could appear
How the airport could appear

They claim also that the scheme would deliver 33,000 jobs in the North within the next ten years, 10,000 of which are deliverable within just five years.

A spokesperson said: "It reduces the need for 18,000 Trans Pennine journeys taken by car, many of them through a national park, to the North West and removing 80 million road miles to more distant airports, taking around 23,000 tonnes of CO2 off the UK’s road network.

"The submission today of a detailed business case by the three partners seeks inclusion of the project in the Department for Transport (DfT’s) Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline. A critical step in getting the project funded and off the ground."

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Dan Jarvis MP Mayor of the Sheffield City Region said: “I am pleased that this critically important scheme has reached another key milestone with the submission to Government.

Planes at DSAPlanes at DSA
Planes at DSA

"The benefits to communities and businesses through connecting the country’s fastest growing regional airport to the national and regional rail network are huge. We have to make sure that we get people off our roads and onto sustainable public transport. This investment would help make that a reality.”

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “We have an exceptional record of delivering major infrastructure schemes on time and in budget that boost the economy and see real growth.

"This GatewayEast Growth Hub Rail scheme is ‘oven ready’ and demonstrates how Doncaster can deliver the North’s essential economic growth ambitions, delivering jobs and housing locally and by unlocking further economic potential at the airport, our borough, Sheffield City Region and across the North.

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"The rail connectivity will quadruple access to the growth hub for jobs and flights by a sustainable travel mode taking 23,000 tonnes of CO2 off the road network.”

DSADSA
DSA

Robert Hough CBE, Chairman of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), said: “An East Coast Mainline station situated at DSA demonstrates exceptional value for money for the tax-payer with a 22:1 return on its £300m investment.

"Furthermore, this would be a strong signal to the North of the Government’s promise in levelling up. The return on investment from this scheme is greater than the forecast benefits of the entire Eastern leg of HS2 but delivering years in advance and fully complementary. It is essentially ‘shovel-ready’ and deliverable within five years.

“The Sheffield City Region’s economy is not as productive as it could be given the world class assets such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. We have exceptional local support from Doncaster Council, the Sheffield City Region and our local Chambers of Commerce who recognise the important economic benefit and sound environmental benefits that can be created by this scheme.”

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Nick Fletcher MP said “Doncaster Sheffield Airport is a fantastic asset to Don Valley and its potential should be fully realised to create jobs, housing and new opportunities. This would be very much welcomed in an area that has been left behind for too long. I fully support this project and am working hard here in Don Valley and Westminster with all stakeholders to make this happen.”

Peter Kennan, Board Member on the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership said “The importance of rail access to Doncaster Sheffield Airport cannot be underestimated. The LEP is in the process of updating the Strategic Economic Plan for the region and development of ground transportation to the Airport and its surrounding commercial and residential developments will be a major spur to further significant growth in jobs and economic opportunity all in an environmentally sustainable way”