Lord David Blunkett has unveiled a new plan to improve services on Yorkshire’s “broken” railways.
The 10-year strategy is touted to bring £20bn to the region’s economy and would require an estimated £14bn of government investment.
It follows a review of the county’s transport network by Lord Blunkett – the former Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough MP – who said Yorkshire had been “punching under its weight for far too long”.
He added: “It’s been a pleasure to be asked to pull together this credible and affordable plan, which presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to improve rail connectivity, and unlock economic growth and opportunities for all.
“By taking action now, the benefits of releasing capacity, speeding up journeys, improving reliability and running more frequent services will be felt not just here, but across the North, Midlands and beyond.”
In Sheffield, the plan targets improving station capacity, improved services to Leeds and York, and reducing wait times.
It has been supported by Yorkshire’s three regional mayors under the newly signed White Rose Agreement partnership.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said the new plan addressed “fundamental” issues and would help to get Yorkshire railways “back on track”.
“David Blunkett has, for the first time, made clear the problems created by decades of underinvestment across the whole of Yorkshire and given us a plan for fixing them, working together across the whole of God’s Own Country. This is the White Rose Agreement in action.
“Through this Plan, there is a pathway with a phased approach to fix our broken rail system. I want to see Sheffield fully electrified, a new station at Rotherham, more capacity at Doncaster and new services between Barnsley and London.”
Extension and renewal of the tram network in South Yorkshire is also included, which alongside a new network in West Yorkshire would require an additional £2.5bn investment.
Featured image from Google Maps / House of Lords photography by Roger Harris