Securing railway station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport will attract more flights and firms like Ryanair and Easyjet says MP Nick Fletcher

A railway line to the airport along with a dedicated station has been on the cards for many years and costs are said to be around £200 million, but the investment is thought to be a catalyst for regeneration as well as enticing more airlines to fly from there.

Back in February 2020, former aviation minister Paul Maynard, visited airport bosses and key figures to view plans for a £10 million terminal expansion and ambitions for a railway station and new line linking the East Coast Mainline and the Doncaster/Lincoln line.

Airport bosses say the railway station and 4.5 mile track scheme is ‘shovel ready’ and take just five years to deliver with no impact to existing homes and businesses.

The rail plan would also ‘significantly extend’ the airport’s public transport catchment area to circa nine million people within a 90-minute travel time, equivalent to the catchment of Manchester Airport, while ‘utilising existing runway capacity capable of handling 25 million passengers’.

The Conservative MP said the project would also mean more people choose South Yorkshire instead of travelling over the Pennines to Manchester.

Mr Fletcher said: “We need a spur from the Lincoln line. It’s a relatively small piece of railway track laying down which will make a huge difference.

It will connect Doncaster Railway Station which is on the mainline to DSA.

“That short journey will really open up our award winning airport to so many more people. This in turn makes it more attractive to the likes of Easyjet and Ryanair.

“This then enables the airport to lower its charges as it has the volume and more revenue. Then it’s suddenly so much cheaper to fly from Doncaster as well as being more convenient to do so.

“It makes economic sense and we all win with cheaper, more regular flights and easier access.

“We then see the need for more hotels and shops and homes and so the knock on effect trickles down until we have a strong local economy. This is why I feel so strongly that this small stretch of railway will galvanise our city.

“It’s also greener. With the forthcoming introduction of sustainable aviation fuel and the millions of car journeys that will no longer be necessary over the Pennines to Manchester, it’s better for the planet too. That is also very important to me.

“It is common sense. It ticks all the boxes and I will keep raising this in Parliament with various stakeholders.”