The project involves a new integrated station on the mainline and a tram-train stop on land at Forge Way, Parkgate and aims to transform the regional and national connectivity of Rotherham, catalysing a new Innovation Campus around the station.

Andrew Bramidge, Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment at Rotherham Council, recently updated councilllors on the proposal. He said: “This project is identified as probably one of the top two priority projects for South Yorkshire, the other being Doncaster Airport. It is seen as being the catalyst for the redevelopment of the Sheffield to Rotherham economic corridor.

“SYMCA has just committed their proposal to the government’s current spending review for 2025 and the Rotherham mainline station is identified as the number one project in that submission. So there’s a lot of regional support for this and I think through that process, and the local growth plan that SYMCA have to submit to the government by the autumn, this will also be identified as one of the top priority projects, as from 2026 SYMCA get their devolved funding settlement. We are very confident that we will see this within that settlement as being one of the top priorities, not just for Rotherham, but for the region. There is a fair degree of confidence that we will be able to progress to the next stage.”

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Funding is coming from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) and Towns Fund, with the CRSTS identified for much of the next stage – the development of a full business case which is expected to cost £11.35m.

Lucy Mitchell, Major Project Officer at Rotherham Council, told councillors that at this early stage, total costs are in the order of £100m for the station with the tram train on top of that [£7.1m]. She added: “The full business case will delve deeper into all of that, and gets into detailed design, so we really start to understand what the real costs are. Don’t be too horrified by the number, it should be pulled back significantly.

“We have done some benchmarking of stations that have been built in other areas and other regions and the costs are noth anywhere close to that. Some stations have been built more in the order of £35m, £40m when they actually get to that construction stage. So take the very big number with a very big pinch of salt.”

The construction stage would involve a seperate bid to government, which would likely involve some form of local contribution.

Simon Moss, Assistant Director, Planning, Regeneration and Transport at Rotherham Council, added: “I wouldn’t say we’ve had some assurances from DfT that they will fund the station but we are working well with them, they attend the station board meetings, they are really engaged and I think that I could probably venture to say that they understand the benefits that it brings to the rail network as well as the growth benefits. If they were here I think they would probably offer us some supportive words as they would be able to mention in public, but ultimately, there are no assurances.”

Images: RMBC