Decision details

In early 2020 the Government announced a Restoring Your Railways (RYR) competitive fund of £500m aimed at reopening closed rail lines and stations to improve connectivity for communities to jobs, homes and education. Over 3 rounds, the following MCA submitted schemes were successful:

• Doncaster to Knottingley – Askern Line (sponsoring MP Ed Miliband)
• Sheffield to Stocksbridge – Don Valley Line (sponsoring MP Miriam Cates)
• Sheffield to Chesterfield via Barrow Hill Line (sponsoring MP Lee Rowley)
• new station at Waverley on the Sheffield to Lincoln Line (sponsoring MP Sarah Champion).

All schemes received £50k to develop a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC).

SOBCs are currently being finalised for the Askern Line and Don Valley Line schemes, and need to be submitted to the DfT by the end of September 2022

These SOBCs will make the strategic case for each scheme and consider a range of options for stations, services and routeing.

Option 1 – Although here may be challenges in managing partner and stakeholder expectations, and in securing an outcome that is satisfactory for SYMCA in the face of DfT cost cutting. These challenges will be addressed as part of the scheme development process

Option 1 - SYMCA continues to engage with the RYR programme and act as promoter for its successful schemes, in order to secure the economic and transport benefits these new passenger railway lines will deliver

Option 2 - SYMCA no longer engages with the RYR programme and withdraws from its promoter role