Work starts on next step to open rail line between Sheffield and Chesterfield

Two schemes submitted to Government in the South Yorkshire/North Derbyshire region have been selected to move onto the next stage.

The Barrow Hill line linking Sheffield and Chesterfield through Beighton, Killamarsh, Eckington and Renishaw, has been selected by Ministers for further consideration.

A new station at the Waverly estate on the Rotherham/Sheffield border has also been chosen for further consideration.

Work is now being undertaken by Sheffield City Region officers, in support of the sponsoring MP Lee Rowley and council partners to develop a Strategic Outline Business Case for the Barrow Hill line.

The Waverley scheme was included in the Government’s National Infrastructure Strategy, published alongside Spending Review announcements in November 2020.

It was selected to progress to the next stage of the ‘Restoring Your Railway’ scheme.

A work and resource plan will be prepared to develop the station at Waverley to the next stage and if required, the two bids could be pooled together as they sit along the same rail line.

Neal Byers, strategic transport officer at Sheffield City Region, said: “The Waverley and Barrow Hill schemes share a common route into Sheffield and potentially could be joined to form a single project.

“At this stage the business case for Waverley will be developed independently of the Barrow Hill scheme as both can be developed on their own merits.

“There could be benefits in joining the schemes together at a later stage, particularly in terms of procurement and construction planning. This point of combining the projects will be revisited as the business cases are developed.

“A number of other submissions have also been made by other MPs or community groups to support schemes not included in the Integrated Rail Plan or endorsed by the mayoral combined authority.

“The MCA executive team is monitoring the progress of these schemes but does not intend to engage in the bids or commit resources to support them at this stage.”

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