Sheffield to Manchester rail upgrade approved

A long delayed rail upgrade on the line connecting Sheffield and Manchester through the Peak District has finally be given the go ahead.

£137 million will be spent to design and build improvements to to the Hope Valley line between the two cities.

The works in the Peak District include a loop around the main line connecting Sheffield to Manchester which would let passenger trains pass slow-moving freight services.

At the moment the route can take over an hour, despite it only covering a distance of 35 miles. 4.2 million people use the line every year.

Plans for the upgrade were first set out in 2018, although the idea had been around for several years before that.

South Yorkshire mayor Dan Jarvis welcomed the commitment from the government:

“This is a significant boost for our region. I’m pleased that our persistence has paid off, and that ministers have finally listened to our calls to deliver long-awaited investment in this critical line between Sheffield and Manchester,” he said.

“I’ve pressed ministers and officials from the Department for Transport and Network Rail for the past three years to ensure that we secure these much-needed improvements for passengers and businesses.

“For too long people in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester have been forced to endure endless delays, cancelled and unreliable services."

"The upgrade to this line – which connects 4.2 million people between Sheffield and Greater Manchester – will reduce these delays, improve reliability of trains and add a third direct train per hour."

“It’s overdue but welcome progress, however we need the Government to go much further if they are to level up South Yorkshire and the north.”