Dismay as Doncaster Sheffield Airport rail link plan dropped

The Yorkshire Post has seen a letter sent by Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris which says the Department for Transport “does not believe that the proposed scheme will deliver value for money in its current guise”.

It is understood a further £1.5m was being sought to complete feasibility work into the proposed scheme, expected to cost up to £400m, and that it did not meet the Treasury’s ‘green book’ criteria on infrastructure.

But this has dismayed business and political leaders who claim the Department for Transport has failed to recognise the GatewayEast site’s potential as one of the North’s biggest development opportunities.

Around 1,600 acres in size, it is likely to employ 35,650 people once complete. Around 3,000 homes are also due to be built on the landmark site.

A spokesperson for the airport said: “We do not understand which passenger growth forecasts the DfT have used to inform their decision, particularly as Doncaster Sheffield Airport has already exceeded their out of date and inaccurate passenger growth forecasts.

“The DfT forecast for 2050 estimates passenger numbers at DSA will be between 0.4m and 1.6m. Doncaster Sheffield Airport had already exceeded the DfT’s 2050 ‘best-case’ prediction carrying in excess of 1.4m passengers in 2019 alone.

“Furthermore, recent announcements from Wizz Air to establish a permanent base at DSA means the airport is expecting 1.8m airline seats in sale during 2021, which in normal circumstances, would equate to 1.6m passengers per annum.”

She added: “We remain absolutely confident in the strength of the business case. If this Government is truly committed to levelling up the North and building back better, this scheme provides the perfect opportunity to reiterate that statement of intent to offer growth, investment and prosperity in the North.”

Andy Hibbitt, Chief Operating Officer at Doncaster Chamber of Commerce, said the project was “absolutely critical to accelerating regeneration across the region”.

He added: “Not moving forward with this development will be a sign that Government has turned its back on its agenda to “level up the country”, which is simply an option that we cannot accept.”

Both Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis and Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, have now replied to Mr Heaton-Harris stating a desire to continue working with officials, and the airport, to develop the link.

Mark Lynam, Director of Transport, Infrastructure and Housing at the Sheffield City Region, said GatewayEast is “a key growth area” and the whole scheme, including a rail link, is “vital to growing a stronger, greener and fairer economy” for the region after coronavirus.

A Department for Transport spokesperson confirmed: “On the basis of rigorous assessment there were significant concerns regarding the current proposal but we remain committed to improving connectivity to Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

“We are rightly focusing on those infrastructure projects which can bring significant benefits to people and boost the economy.”

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