Plans revealed to re-open South Yorkshire railway line closed since 1968

Royston’s rail line is still operational, but is only open to freight trains delivering sand to the Ardagh Glass factory in nearby Monk Bretton.

The station, which opened in 1841, was closed as part of the Beeching Cuts in 1968.

Dan Jarvis has campaigned to reopen the line, in a bid to bring regeneration opportunities to Royston, Carlton and Lundwood.

The bid proposal has attracted widespread and cross-party support, but was rejected by the Department of Transport in November 2020.

Dan Jarvis said: “This bid will bring potentially transformation employment, training and regeneration opportunities for the villages of Royston, Carlton and Lundwood and significantly improve rail connectivity across the borough and further afield. It is the missing piece of the jigsaw in enabling residents to access affordable and reliable rail services for work, study and leisure.

“The Government was elected on a commitment to level up the North. It is vitally important that we see increased infrastructure spending in every town, city, region and nation of the UK. For far too long, communities in South Yorkshire have not received our fair share of investment.

“If the Government is serious about levelling up, I can think of no better place to start than reopening the Barnsley to Wakefield via Royston line.”

Councillor Caroline Makinson, Royston Ward Councillor said: “This line being reopened would make a huge difference to the villages of Royston and Carlton, enabling commuters to travel much more quickly to Wakefield and on to Leeds.

“The lack of a railway link has been a long-running issue locally. If successful, this bid would bring new opportunities for investment and regeneration for local residents.

“I’m proud to be working closely with Dan and the Royston Ward Alliance to reopen this railway line and deliver real benefits for Royston and Carlton.”

Tim Cheetham, BMBC cabinet member for regeneration and culture, and Royston ward councillor said: “Restoring the Royston rail line would give us a great opportunity to help get cars off the road and reduce our carbon emissions, protecting our borough for future generations.

“At the same time, it will create further job opportunities for local people within the regional economy, supporting our long-term plans to stimulate the growth of more and better jobs and homes.

“I’ll continue to work closely with our partners on this exciting project.”