Rotherham Council votes to lobby Government over reduced Swinton rail services
Services between Swinton, Rotherham and Doncaster were cut back during the pandemic and never reinstated
Last updated 16th Jan 2026
Councillors have voted to press for the restoration of rail and tram-train services between Swinton, Rotherham and Doncaster, arguing that timetables cut during the Covid-19 pandemic have never been fully reinstated.
The motion was approved at a full council meeting on January 14, with members backing a call for train operating companies and the Government to urgently restore pre-pandemic service levels.
The motion notes that train timetables serving Swinton Interchange and Rotherham Central to Doncaster were halved during the pandemic and remain reduced, despite the lifting of restrictions.
Councillors said the cuts have left communities with fewer and less reliable services, disproportionately affecting residents who rely on rail for work, education and leisure.
Before the pandemic, Swinton was served by three trains per hour, while Rotherham Central benefited from three tram-train services an hour, offering a combined service into Sheffield roughly every ten minutes. Under the current timetable, services have been reduced to one train from Leeds, one from Doncaster and two tram-trains, which councillors described as fragmented and inconvenient.
Presenting the motion, councillor Victoria Cusworth said the current level of service was not good enough for residents.
“For me and so many others who don’t drive, having access to train travel was a gateway to Rotherham, South Yorkshire and beyond. But today, residents traveling to and from Swinton don’t have the same services as we did back then.
“As our motion notes, the pandemic saw our train timetable slashed in half. And even now, with restrictions long gone, our services haven’t returned to where they were, where Swinton once enjoyed three trains an hour, plus frequent tram trains at Rotherham Central.
“We’re now left with a patchwork timetable. This means longer waits, missed connections, and for many journeys that are no longer possible or practical, this isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a barrier to work, to education, to seeing family and friends”
The motion argues that Rotherham should not be facing reductions in public transport provision and that reliable rail and tram-train services are essential for social and economic inclusion, reducing car dependency and meeting climate commitments.
As part of the decision, the council agreed to formally call on train operating companies and the Department for Transport to reinstate pre-pandemic service levels between Swinton Interchange, Rotherham Central and Doncaster, including both heavy rail and tram-train services.
Councillors also agreed to work with regional partners, including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, to press for investment in services that better reflect the needs of residents.
No timescale was given for when services could be restored, but councillors said they would continue lobbying transport bodies to ensure Rotherham and surrounding communities receive frequent and reliable public transport.