SOUTH Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has made his case to improve rail connectivity in the town following a meeting with the Transport Secretary - and it includes increasing the frequency on the Penistone Line.
The route, which starts at Barnsley Interchange and makes its way through Dodworth, Silkstone Common and Penistone stations on its way to Huddersfield, is already set to benefit from a raft of work.
Labour - in its budget - confirmed the previous Conservative-led government had pledged to upgrade the line but did not properly cost the policy, so it has been included in the Levelling Up Fund.
The line currently faces capacity constraints and reliability issues due to its single-track sections.
Currently, only one train per hour runs and the average journey time is about an hour and 15 minutes from end to end.
And Mayor Coppard is keen to ensure that the line will have more trains running across it, and he made his case for that to happen to the Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in a meeting with the metro mayors of Yorkshire last Thursday.
Last month, the metro mayors of North, West and South Yorkshire came together to sign the White Rose Agreement as a signal of their commitment to working together on key areas and shared priorities.
They asked Lord David Blunkett to review rail connectivity across the three areas and his report is due to be published in May.( Mr Coppard said: “I’ve repeatedly said that significant investment is needed in our rail network.
“Connecting our communities across Yorkshire and the North is not an optional extra; It’s crucial for us to be able to harness economic opportunities, drive growth and give everyone here chance to stay near and go far.( “Working with Lord Blunkett on this review, for the first time we are collectively making the case to government to improve rail connectivity across Yorkshire.
“Meeting the Transport Secretary alongside Tracy Brabin and David Skaith was vital in making that case clear. ( “Together we can tackle the transport challenges that have held us back, bring in the investment that will amplify our huge ambition, and create more good jobs in the industries of the future, so that we have the world class transport network that Yorkshire deserves.”
The meeting with the Secretary of State follows the Prime Minister’s announcement of further investment in the north’s transport network and the intention to empower local leaders to drive forward changes they know are needed most in their areas.( The work comes amidst year-long celebrations across the country celebrating 200 years of the modern railway, with Yorkshire playing a key role in the history of the industry.
Lord Blunkett added: “My review has already established that Yorkshire’s rail network has far too many constraints to support the three Mayors’ ambitious plans for the region.( “We will set out a vision for a fit-for-purpose rail network that will mean more frequent, faster services, and greater capacity where it’s needed - all unlocking opportunities for growth.( “The government’s ambitious house-building programme cannot be achieved without the connectivity that allows people to travel for work, leisure and entertainment, and businesses cannot thrive without a 21st century infrastructure facilitating greater economic activity, productivity and prosperity.( “As we celebrate 200 years of the modern railway this year, there’s no better time to make the case for investment in Yorkshire’s railways, setting out an affordable and credible plan to government on its delivery.”
The move has been welcomed by Penistone MP Marie Tidball.
She told the Chronicle: “These investments seek to upgrade transport links to improve regional connectivity, delivering transport infrastructure that puts passengers at the heart of rail services and delivers economic growth to the region.
“The Conservative government made numerous empty promises to upgrade our line, but hadn’t allocated any actual money so the project could go ahead.
“This Labour government knows the difference that good local transport routes makes to opportunities for our constituency, better connecting Dodworth, Silkstone Common and Penistone to Barnsley, Huddersfield and Sheffield.”
