Transport minister Chris Heaton-Harris ready to meet MPs to discuss Sheffield to Chesterfield tram-train

Mr Heaton-Harris promised a meeting to Sheffield MP Clive Betts, whose South East Sheffield South East constituency could be served by the new line, after he questioned him on the plans in parliament.

Mr Betts, who also chairs parliament’s, Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee, raised the possibility of creating the route using a tram train rather than the conventional railways on the proposed Barrow Hill line.

He said: “Along with my honourable friends Sarah Champion and Lee Rowley, I am supporting the opening of the Barrow Hill line, which goes from Sheffield to Chesterfield through my constituency, hopefully with new stations at Beighton and Waverley.

"The real advantage will be if we can get people out of their cars onto the new line so that we avoid the congestion in Crystal Peaks and Handsworth in my constituency, and on the Sheffield Parkway.

Question from MP Clive Betts

“We have more chance of doing that if, rather than a heavy rail service going into Victoria that puts people in the middle of nowhere, we get a tram-train on the line going into the centre of Sheffield, which would have a much better chance of encouraging people out of their cars. Will the Minister seriously look at that option?”Mr Heaton-Harris said he actually knew the project very well having taken part in a detailed discussion on it in the past, and believed Mr Betts was completely right.

He said: “There are now many more light rail and very light rail products out there, which would be very suitable for this scheme.

"The whole point of the restoring your railway scheme is to help people find the right product to deliver the right scheme for them in their locality. If he would like a meeting on this, I would happily meet him.”

Mr Betts said afterwards: “It was welcome to hear the minister be so positive on reopening the Barrow Hill line that would connect Sheffield to Chesterfield.”

The Barrow Hill line scheme is one of a number proposals for restoring former railway routes in Sheffield.

NEWS: Sheffield MP calls for the creation of a new tram-train station