This is where a new railway route in Sheffield could run, as proposals are submitted for share of £500m

Trains could call at Deepcar, Oughtibridge, Wadsley Bridge and Neepsend if politicians and campaigners succeed in securing a share of the £500 million announced to transform Britain's railway network.

They have taken the first step by submitting a formal expression of interest for the cash needed to prepare a detailed business case.

Two Sheffield stations among worst performing in country

Miriam Cates, the newly elected MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, teamed up with Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority to submit outline proposals to the Department for Transport.

They also worked with the Don Valley Railway group, which has long campaigned to revive passenger services on the existing railway line, which still serves the steelworks at Stocksbridge.

Under their initial plans, between one and three trains an hour would run from Stocksbridge to either the old Sheffield Victoria station or Nunnery Square Park and Ride.

Concerns raised over ‘consistently poor’ bus routes in Sheffield

They also want to look at extending services to Rotherham, Chesterfield, Workshop and Lincoln.

The next step will be to prepare a full bid and make their case to a panel of ministers and officials in March.

Ms Cates said: "This proposal offers us a real opportunity to improve transport connections for our community and unleash our economic and social potential.

"By linking Stocksbridge and the Upper Don Valley into the national rail network we can reduce congestion and air pollution whilst also making it easier for people to access jobs, training and services across the region.

"I look forward to continuing to move this project forward by presenting our case to the Department for Transport in person next month.”

The route was part of the Woodhead line between Sheffield and Manchester which closed to passengers in 1970. There are calls to restore the entire line, though that would mean reopening a tunnel now used to carry electric cables.

The £500m Restore Your Railway Fund was launched in January by transport secretary Grant Shapps to reverse widespread closures during the 1960s following the Beeching report, though Labour claimed at the time the money available would help reopen just 25 miles of railway.