Askern Railway Station: Progress made in campaign to reopen historic 'ghost' station in Yorkshire

A campaign to reopen Askern Railway Station and create new routes connecting parts of Yorkshire is becoming closer to realisation. The historic station closed in 1948 and if reopened today could create connections between South and West Yorkshire to improve access to jobs, homes and education.

Doncaster North MP Ed Miliband has sponsored the scheme, supported by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard as part of a wider campaign for the region. An application to the government’s £500 million Restoring Your Railways fund was shortlisted in October 2021 and the case is now being assessed at the next stage. Several route and service options have been developed, linking Askern to Doncaster and Leeds, and potentially Lincoln.

Last week, the pair met with local politicians, stakeholders and campaign group Friends of Askern Station at Alexander House to discuss the bid.

Ed Miliband MP said: “It was brilliant to welcome Mayor Coppard to Askern on Friday. The Askern Station bid is immensely important for the area. It will connect people with employment opportunities in West Yorkshire and Doncaster, it will take cars off the over-congested A19, and it will bring people into Askern to visit the lake and the fantastic local shops, cafes and other small businesses the town has to offer.

“Local campaigners have worked so hard to get to this point and the project is supported by Doncaster Council, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and all the local leaders. I hope the Government will support our application to the Restoring Your Railway fund so that the station can finally be reopened after all these years.”

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, added: “Fixing South Yorkshire’s public transport system is a key priority; it has to include reconnecting our communities with our railways and better links between our train, tram and bus networks, to not only meet our net zero goals but to open up the work, education and social opportunities that everyone in South Yorkshire deserves.

“The government have set a timeframe for levelling up transport connectivity across our region by 2030, but we need them to match our energy and ambition. We’ve been working to keep the pressure on both Government and transport companies, to get the investment we need here in South Yorkshire in order to achieve that goal. Rubber-stamping projects such as our ‘Restoring Your Railways’ plans offer a great starting point.”

Graham Moss of Friends of Askern Railway Station, said: “What sets the Askern Line scheme apart is that it not only provides significant benefits for local communities, but also delivers strategic connectivity and resilience benefits right across South and West Yorkshire through the reinstatement of an underused line for regular passenger services. In the context of the climate emergency, the Restoring Your Railways programme offers a once in a generation opportunity to reduce reliance on car use and shift trips to sustainable modes of transport.”

Doncaster Council, Wakefield Council, SYMCA, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Network Rail will all play leading roles in the scheme.