Plans for a new mainline train station in Rotherham have taken a step forward after the Department for Transport approved funding for the project to progress to a Full Business Case.
It comes after the Government included Gateway Station - which would return mainline services to Rotherham for the first time since the 1980s - in its £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail plans.
Commenting on the news, Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: "It’s great to see the Government indicating this morning that Rotherham's proposed Gateway Station will sit at the heart of investment plans for railways in the North of England. It's nothing less than Rotherham people deserve.
"For the last forty years Rotherham has been off the mainline rail network. Our plan isn't just to put that right, but to maximise the opportunities that it presents; direct connection into the tram-train network, with thousands of jobs created, and facilitating further high-quality local housing.
"With likely train journey times of just half an hour to Leeds, and a little over an hour to Manchester and Birmingham - as well as potentially direct connections to London in the future - the station doesn't just widen commute and work opportunities for Rotherham people, but in turn creates new business opportunities to relocate here too. We see that as part of a whole package of exciting developments between Rotherham and Sheffield along the Don Valley corridor.
"It's especially heartening to see that the government is considering Rotherham Gateway as part of the first stage of Northern Powerhouse Rail development. There is still a huge amount of work to do, with development of the full business case required and funding certainty reached before the first spade goes in the ground. It's definitely not a done deal, and I'd urge everyone to sign up to our station campaign to help us maintain momentum for the project. But today marks a big and important step forward."
Pledge your support for Rotherham Gateway Station by visiting: www.rotherhamgateway.co.uk
