rotherham business news

News: Public sector puts £100m towards depots and buses in South Yorkshire

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 08:27:00 +0000

Private sector operators that run South Yorkshire bus services described by the local mayor as being in a "spiral of decline," look set for a multimillion pound windfall as the public sector acquires depots and vehicles as part of bus franchising.

Last year South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, took a once in a generation decision to bring buses back under public control in South Yorkshire in the biggest shake up of the bus network since the 1980s.

Under bus franchising, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) will take control of the bus network including depots, bus fleets, routes, timetables, service standards, tickets and fares.

The authority announced this month that it had secured the purchase of five depots from private bus operators.

The depots at Olive Grove, Ecclesfield and Holbrook in Sheffield, Rawmarsh in Rotherham, Wakefield Road in Barnsley, along with the already publicly owned Leger Way depot in Doncaster, form the operational backbone of South Yorkshire’s bus network.

Under the agreement, First Bus and Stagecoach will lease the depots back from SYMCA.

No figures were included in the announcement but earlier this month the authority published that a delegated decision had been made: "to grant award of £100m towards Bus Franchising Works for acquisition of depots and purchase of vehicles."

SYMCA had previously appointed commercial property firm, Sanderson Weatherall, to value the depots.

The funding is set to come from government funding pots given to devolved areas such as the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and Transport for City Regions.

With £1.5 billion confirmed for South Yorkshire in 2025, £350m will be set aside to reform South Yorkshire’s buses, with franchised buses begining in 2027 with Doncaster and most of Sheffield, followed by Barnsley and Rotherham in 2028 (pushed back from an original target of 2027), with the remaining areas of Sheffield completing the move to public control in 2029.

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South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “This is a significant moment for South Yorkshire. Bringing every depot into public ownership well in advance of bus franchising means we’re putting real foundations in place for a network that is reliable, affordable and works for all of us. It’s exactly what taking back control of our public transport looks like. As we roll out the South Yorkshire People’s Network, we’re creating one clearer, simpler and more connected transport system, and these depots will be right at the heart of making that happen.”

Matt Kitchin, Managing Director of Stagecoach Yorkshire, which operates the Rawmnarsh depot in Rotherham, said: “We are very pleased to be working with Mayor Coppard to complete the transition of depots to public ownership, in a way that best avoids disruption for our loyal customers and colleagues across the region.

“As the operator of the largest zero-emission electric bus fleet in the UK, we are looking forward to contributing our extensive expertise in electrifying depots and introducing new electric fleets to the South Yorkshire bus network.

“Our experience has shown that our customers and colleagues hugely appreciate electric vehicles as they're quieter, smoother and more reliable, helping local people to get to work, access services, and to meet friends and family, and so we are excited to work in partnership to provide the best services for South Yorkshire.”

The mayor has previously described local bus services as a "failed experiment of the privatisation of our bus network that was started in the 1980s." The bus market in South Yorkshire has been experiencing a continuous cycle of decline while its reliance on public funding to sustain bus service levels has been increasing. Over the past decade, bus mileage declined by 42%.

Just last week, SYMCA released details that a "significant number" of commercial bus services have been registered for reduction or withdrawal by operators in May. A £1,278,100 funding package has been signed off to ensure all services indicated are retained for a period until July 25 2026. SYMCA said that the withdrawals and reductions would "have an impact on users and also creates a threat to the ability for SYMCA to transition to a franchised network based on the current level of service."

As part of the deal, the Rawmarsh depot formerly owned by Stagecoach will get a new office building to replace temporary structures. The other bus depot in Rotherham was in public sector ownership but SYMCA decided to sell it in 2022. The Midland Road depot has been demolished and the site is being transformed into a housing estate.

Images: Google Maps

News: Magna tram train stop given opening date

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:04:00 +0000

South Yorkshire’s newest tram train station is scheduled to open at Magna in Rotherham next month.

The £10m station and Park & Ride at Templeborough will serve the route between Sheffield and Rotherham - improving access for residents, businesses and the Magna Science Adventure Centre, reducing congestion and pollution within the Lower Don Valley, and supporting wider regeneration in the area.

Now SYMCA has confirmed that the new stop will be open on April 9.

Oliver Coppard, the Mayor of South Yorkshire, said: "So here we are at the almost ready Magna tram-train station. I'm really pleased to say it'll be open to passengers to use from Thursday the 9th of April.

"This new station is all part of our plan to build a fully-integrated transport network across South Yorkshire—the South Yorkshire People's Network.

"We can't wait to welcome you onto the platform when the first tram-train services start picking up passengers here next month."

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AmcoGiffen is the principal contractor of the station, which features fully accessible platforms, step-free access via lifts, and a pedestrian overbridge connecting both sides of the tracks.

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said: “It’s great that the new Tram Train stop is now in sight. Rotherham residents and people across the region will benefit from better, greener transport, improving access to jobs in the Templeborough area and beyond.

“And of course it fits into the bigger plan for the Don Valley Corridor between Rotherham and Sheffield; more jobs, more investment, and a transport system that supports it all. The proposed Templeborough Business Zone, which will be within a short walk of this stop, will be an early beneficiary.

Magna is also two short stops from Rotherham’s proposed Gateway station, which will connect businesses and residents in the Templeborough area to mainline rail services in the next few years. It’s a welcome boost, and we’re glad to have worked with partners to get it over the line."

The project is being delivered by SYMCA in partnership with Network Rail and Supertram, with £8.1m in funding from the UK Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

When South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) signed a funding agreement for the project, it forecasted a completion and entry into service of Autumn/Winter 2024.

Rothbiz reported last year that legal issues and delays associated with obtaining the necessary railway consents had pushed the completion date to November 2025. This was then pushed back to "early 2026."

The £100m+ tram train project launched in 2018 with innovative vehicles running on both rail and tram networks, using the freight route from Rotherham and then joining the Sheffield Supertram network at Meadowhall South. The service runs between Parkgate and Sheffield Cathedral.

A further tram train stop is in the proposals for the new Rotherham Gateway Station.

Supertram website

Images: Sheffield City Council

News: Rotherham in line for massive jobs boost as part of Don Valley Corridor regeneration scheme

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:01:29 +0000

Key areas in Rotherham and Sheffield are at the heart of a flagship place-based regeneration programme for South Yorkshire that will enable over 18,000 jobs and 10,500 new homes through coordinated development.

The Don Valley Corridor will create a unified corridor for innovation, industry and neighbourhood renewal stretching from Sheffield city centre to the site of the proposed Rotherham Gateway Station.

It brings together the UK’s largest concentration of industrial research and production capability outside the South East, anchored by The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), Translational Energy Research Centre, Olympic Legacy Park and major firms including Rolls-Royce, Boeing, McLaren and ITM Power.

Proponents say that: "By unlocking brownfield sites and investing in transport, energy and flood resilience infrastructure, the Don Valley Corridor will drive inclusive, sustainable, long-term regional growth."

The corridor between Sheffield and Rotherham has always been recognised as operating as one economy but the new programme will place the Don Valley as one of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's (SYMCA's) regional growth areas for investment.

That priority is set to be increased with the proposed designation of the region's first Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ) for the Don Valley Corridor.

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A SYMCA paper explains: "Under these arrangements the MCA will use its existing statutory powers, in particular, its strategic economic development powers and regeneration powers, its own resources and relationships with government, infrastructure providers and the private sector, as part of an integrated place-based programme. This will provide confidence both to the market, government and the wider public sector.

"Mayoral Development Zone is a designation signalling to Government, investors, and partners that an area is a strategic priority for coordinated long-term regeneration. It maintains strategic focus and partnership commitment, strengthens Government engagement, signals readiness to explore enhanced delivery powers if required, and preserves optionality on future statutory mechanisms. This designation responds to specific challenges within the Don Valley Corridor by bringing spatial coherence across a large and complex geography."

Partners have discounted the creation of a Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC), which would have planning authority powers to acquire land, cut red tape, and accelerate high-quality housing and business. The report warns that a MDC would need a costly and rigid structure, potentially slowing progress.

Instead, a MDZ and the programme "adds strategic capacity, investment readiness and cross-boundary alignment so that separate initiatives can be sequenced and leveraged for greater impact."

Bringing together SYMCA with Rotherham Council and Sheffield Council "creates a single front door for Government, agencies and private markets" with governance and the authority's assurance framework in place. The paper adds that "there is shared commitment between SYMCA, RMBC and SCC to resource the programme collectively as a shared endeavour, including programme development capacity."

External funding is set to come from gainshare and other devolved funding pots, including funds that support renewal, housing and infrastructure. Nationally, the programme will be positioned to engage with institutions such as Homes England and the National Wealth Fund.

The Government has this week committed to providing the South Yorkshire Mayor with access to "£85m new money to support jobs and development, including in the Don Valley Corridor and Sheffield Innovation spine."

The Government's recently announced £2.3bn City Investment Fund will bring together different types of finance, deployed flexibly to accelerate projects, expand city-centre housing and office markets, and support major regeneration schemes across the North. It is expected to be used in "developing projects in the Don Valley Corridor, Sheffield city centre Innovation Spine, and Rotherham Town Centre."

Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire said: "We’re building a bigger and better economy across all of South Yorkshire, creating the opportunities that allow people to stay near and go far.

"For too long, South Yorkshire and the wider North have been failed, not only a by a lack of investment in our people, our businesses, our ideas and our infrastructure, but by a lack of ambition itself.

"But slowly, surely we’re beginning to see the South Yorkshire of the future taking shape - with world leading companies in industries of the future investing here, real income growth, and huge plans for the future, we’re starting to see the full potential of every part of Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield.

"The UK cannot realise its own economic renewal without places like South Yorkshire playing our full part, but together with this Government we are now making that happen."

Don Valley Corridor aligns with the South Yorkshire Investment Zone which includes Rotherham sites such as the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) at Waverley, parts of Brinsworth and Canklow, the remaining regeneration sites at Templeborough, the Meadowbank Road area along with Holmes and Masbrough, the whole of Rotherham town centre, the Greasbrough Road area, Eastwood, Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, areas of Parkgate (but not the existing retail parks or adjacent land), and land at Aldwarke (but not the existing steel works).

The Mayoral Combined Authority Board is set to discuss the Don Valley Corridor next week.

SYMCA website

Images: Harworth Group / SYMCA

News: Free parking in Rotherham town centre to continue

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:01:00 +0000

Rotherham Council is set to continue to offer one hour’s free parking in council-run car parks in Rotherham town centre.

Charges have also been frozen for another year.

Rothbiz reported last year on the authority introducing a scheme aiming to "support local businesses, boost footfall, and encourage residents to shop locally."

£50,000 was outlined in the 2024/25 council budget for the scheme and that appears to have been carried over into the 2025/26 financial year.

The latest budget was agreed by the council last week and documents show that a price freeze is proposed "to encourage visitors to the town centre at Drummond Street, Wellgate North, Wellgate Multi Storey, Douglas Street, Unity Place, Westgate, Clifton Hall, and Scala, ahead of the major developments planned in future years."

Also mentioned in the budget documents, the first hour free initiative is designed to encourage visitors to the town centre by using the same car parks Monday to Friday inclusive.

Free parking is already offered in the town centre at all Council Off-Street car parks all day on Saturdays and Sundays, and on street after 6pm, and there is no indication that this will end.

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Last month, a new parking system came into effect at the Forge Island leisure development in Rotherham town centre. Parking concessions have been extended to customers of all businesses located within Forge Island providing four hours of free parking.

The first hour free is also in operation for people parking on Forge Island but not using the businesses, however, longer free parking is not available on Forge Island on Saturdays and Sundays.

At the popular Clifton Park, on the edge of Rotherham town centre, parking charges remain, with some set to increase. Council budget documents show that parking for up to 1 hour at Clifton Park is going up 10p to £1.70 all year round.

In the summer (July 15 to September 8), up to 2 hours will be £3, up to 3 hours will be £4, up to 4 hours will rise 20p to £5.70, up to 5 hours will be £7, and all day parking at Clifton Park will be £8.50, up 30p on last summer's prices.

Out of season, parking at Clifton Park will cost £2.90 for up to 2 hours (up 10p), £3.90 for up to 3 hours (up 10p), £4.90 for up to 4 hours (up 20p), £6 for up to 5 hours and £7 to park all day.

Images: RMBC

News: More consultation on Rotherham £24m active travel schemes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:56:00 +0000

More public consultation is required as Rotherham Council is set to spend a further £24m on active travel schemes where new cycle lanes are set to be a key component.

Rothbiz has previously reported on a £16.3m scheme that includes bike lanes, bus lanes and a built up roundabout at Eastwood, on the edge of Rotherham town centre. A similar £8m cycle lane and roundabout scheme is proposed for Stag Roundabout and Wickersley / Broom Road.

The schemes follow on from the the £6.4m Sheffield Road Cycleways and Maltby Bus Corridor schemes and the £3.6m Broom Road Cycleways scheme.

The majority of funding for the latest schemes is coming from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) through the City Regional Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), a government funding stream.

Earlier consultation backed the authority's idea for St Anns roundabout, where the council is proposing to bring the crossings up to ground level and fill in the subways to make the space feel more welcoming. Consultation results also showed a clear preference for keeping all arms of the roundabout open, discounting an idea to close St Ann's Road to motor traffic and install bus gates.

At Stag Roundabout, segregated cycle routes and controlled crossing facilities would be introduced on each arm of the roundabout.

Funding has also been set aside for neighbourhood improvements.

Recent decisions by Rotherham Council have been made to undertake further stakeholder engagement on both schemes.

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A council report states: "Approval is granted for RMBC to engage with stakeholders, including residents, business owners and Ward Members on the updated designs for the active travel corridor, as well as allocated neighbourhood streets investment," with the report adding that the consultation is to "comply with required engagement process involving stakeholders as per funding requirements."

The report adds: "No significant consultation and engagement has taken place with the public since the end of July 2025. In addition, although previous consultation and engagement included reference to the Eastwood & Herringthorpe Active Travel Neighbourhood element, no designs of actual interventions have previously been shared with the public.

"In developing the scheme designs, consideration has been given to aligning with the Council’s objectives to listen, inform and work in partnership with its residents. With this in mind, further public engagement and consultation will now be undertaken."

Rothbiz reported last year that the Council had confirmed that if it wants to use government money to make multimillion pound investments in strategic transport routes in the borough, they will need to include cycle lanes.

For Fitzwilliam Road between St Ann’s Roundabout and Mushroom Roundabout the plan is to provide bus priority and separate cycleways.

A bus lane in the Rotherham-bound direction would make bus services faster and more reliable and the bus lane at Mushroom roundabout would be extended to Chesterton Road. Painted cycle lanes are set to be replaced with dedicated cycle tracks to separate cyclists from motor traffic and improve safety and new designated parking spaces are also included.

On the other scheme, bilateral unidirectional cycleways and bus priority measures are expected from the new Broom Road layout to Brecks Roundabout, as well as associated improvements to crossings and junctions.

Rotherham Council website

Images: RMBC

News: Value for money concerns over Rotherham's £300m smart motorway schemes

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:11:00 +0000

Multimillion pound smart motorways on the M1 through Rotherham have had a positive impact on journey times, congestion, the number of collisions and the environment but are not on track to deliver the value for money anticipated over the 60-year life of the project.

Considered a cheaper option to increase motorway capacity, all-lane running with no hard shoulders became operational in the region and open to traffic in 2017. The section in Rotherham and Sheffield was designated as Britain's first ever Air Quality "Speed Limit" based motorway and a trial of 60mph speed limits came into force.

The M1 junctions 28 to 31 project was delivered at a construction cost of £194.1m, about 7% over the forecast cost of £181.2m. The M1 junctions 32 to 35a project was delivered at a construction cost of £103.5m, about 3%m over the forecast cost of £100.3m.

The air quality trial completed in 2024 but further work has been carried out after smart motorways came under scrutiny.

In 2023 the government confirmed that plans for new smart motorways would be cancelled in recognition of the "lack of public confidence felt by drivers and cost pressures."

A National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme was required, with a £390m investment plan which, along with technology like stopped vehicle detection, aimed to improve safety on the road network.

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A five year Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) of the South Yorkshire schemes by National Highways shows some benefits but the organisation added that traffic flows were lower than expected, due to the wider growth impacts resulting from the COVID-19 restrictions, which will have had an impact on the re-forecast benefits of these projects.

The report concluded that average journey times have generally reduced in peak periods and that journey time reliability has been shown to improve.

However, the report adds: "Without further intervention, journey time benefits are unlikely to be on track to be realised. This is likely to be due to lower than forecast levels of traffic due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, resulting in the additional lane being required less frequently than may have been expected. This means that the additional capacity provided by the smart motorway is not yet being fully optimised to realise the benefits to customer journeys. However, the capacity is available to support an increase in road users in the future."

Despite safety concerns, the report states that there is an observed reduction in the rate and number of collisions and improvement to the impact on casualties.

Outcomes were as expected for all of the environmental impacts assessed - noise effects were "broadly as expected and greenhouse gas impacts were assessed as "too early to say.""

Regarding value for money, the report said: "The evaluation indicated that in the first five years this investment is not on track to deliver the value for money anticipated over the 60-year life of the project. The M1 junctions 28 to 31 project is expected to deliver "low" value for money, while the M1 junctions 32 to 35a project is expected to deliver "medium" value for money."

The forecast value for money for both schemes were originally "high" with the main reason for the overall reduced level of benefits given as the lack of journey time savings. The five-year analysis has shown that both projects deliver journey time savings, although in both cases journey time improvements are less than originally forecast.

The improvement of journey time reliability was a main objective of this project with improvements notable between 28 and 31 in the afternoon peak period northbound and in both morning and afternoon periods in the southbound direction. Between 32 to 35a, there were shown to be improvements to journey time reliability with the most notable improvement occurring during morning peak period in the northbound direction, and during the afternoon period in the southbound direction.

The slowest 10% journeys are now generally quicker, with the slowest journeys in peak periods taking about five minutes less than before.

Edmund King, AA president, said; "Motorways which have been widened, the hard shoulder kept, and safety technology added have proved the most successful. We have been calling for this standard for so long and urge any government that looks to improve motorways to use this style as the blueprint."

National Highways website

Images: National Highways / Costain

News: New parking system at Forge Island includes four hours free

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:04:00 +0000

Users of the Forge Island leisure development in Rotherham town centre will now be able to park for free for up to four hours.

Forge Island is Rotherham town centre's landmark leisure destination delivered by Rotherham Council in partnership with Muse. The £47m development includes an 8-screen boutique cinema operated by The Arc Cinema and a 69-roomed Travelodge Hotel and food outlets - Vetro Lounge, Sygnature Dish and Heavenly Desserts.

Rothbiz reported last month on a council decision regarding a hybrid, ticketless parking system to introduce new concessionary free parking and new parking charges. An original tariff for the 340 space car park has never been implemented due to "operational issues."

The chosen option introduces concessions for all other businesses as part of the Forge Island development alongside the current free parking for cinema and hotel users.

From this week, the authority is implementing parking fees of up to 1 hour for free with up to 2 hours costing £2.50, up to 4 hours would be £5, and up to 24 hours would be £8.

Additionally, parking concessions have been extended to customers of all businesses located within the Forge Island development providing four hours of free parking.

Guests at the Travelodge are still entitled to free overnight parking between 4pm and 10am.

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An update from the Council states: "Enter your registration number on the devices in the business you're visiting. Our automated number plate recognition system will take care of the rest!

"You can of course park for longer than four hours - but just the first four hours are free. If you stay longer, you'll need to pay for the remainder of your visit.

"If you’re not visiting Forge Island businesses, you can still park for up to an hour for free, but longer stays will incur a charge. You will need to pay at a pay station before returning to your vehicle."

In making the decision, the authority explained that it had experienced difficulties in attracting businesses to Forge Island and in letting the units, and had received complaints from the tenants in respect of the car park.

In October 2025, the council's Parking Services staff were drafted in to ensure the site was used appropriately following "heavy usage by non-genuine customers," given the proximity to Riverside House, the police station and the AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Forge Island website

Images: Muse / Google Maps

News: Rotherham mainline timeline

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:35:00 +0000

Rotherham Council has accepted over £11m to develop a Full Business Case for the Rotherham Gateway Station regeneration scheme, but what will that involve, and what is included the first phase of the masterplan?

Allthough the funding is coming from regional funding pots such as the City and Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) via the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA), the project is still a retained scheme within central government and required ministerial and treasury approval which came last month with the annoucement on Northern Powerhouse Rail.

With funding already secured for acquiring land, a masterplan was completed that set out a phased 20 year vision for a £300m regeneration scheme.

Rotherham Council is already working on a Strategic Programme Business Case which outlines the vision, providing estimated costs for each phase and the related outputs and outcomes. It also details land acquisition requirements, and the priority projects needed to progress the first phase. It will align with the development of the Station Full Business Case for approval by SYMCA and the Department for Transport.

The first phase includes the main line station, tram-train stop and the floormat between them, including station building and a potential RiDO business centre plus provision for a user-friendly multi-modal transport interchange.

Over the next year, designs will be drafted for the first phase with contractors appointed and a delivery programme agreed. At the same time, train operators will be secured with commitments to stop at the new gateway station.

Other aspects of the full business case relate to developing a wider transport strategy, securing funding for the scheme and completing the land acquisitions.

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A council paper confirms that one of the three required interests has already been acquired, and negotiations are progressing well with landowners of the two remaining sites. The council is considering using compulsory purchase powers if required.

Detailed designs and updated costs are set to be completed by March 2027 with the full business case ready to be submitted in December 2027.

The masterplan shows four phases: year 0 - 5; year 5 - 15; year 15 - 20; and year 20 and beyond.

At the heart of phase 1 is the station quarter and the station building. Rotherham Gateway is expected to be a Category C/D station - and important feeder / medium staffed station with consultants estimating annual footfall to be 0.609 million (access) and 0.584 million (egress). By comparison, Sheffield Station is a Category A station, and Rotherham Central and Swinton are in catergory E.

The Station Quarter, the minimum requirement for station operation, is set for land which is currently Northfields Business Park, which features a stop on the main line and on the line that carries the tram-train. It will also include a station building, a 150 space car park, space for buses and taxis and bridges over the two lines.

The masterplan states: "Approaching from Forge Way, visitors and passengers will be greeted by the station building on the ground floor next to an open green plaza. Visitors will also have a clear and direct pedestrian and cycle link that leads them from the mainline station to the tram-train stop, and further along the canal and into the town centre."

Work continues on a potential business centre within the station building providing "a unique opportunity to become incubator spaces, which will help to catalyse the development of the Innovation Campus" in future phases. There would also be the opportunity for F&B (food and beverage) or retail on the ground level as well as commercial use on upper levels of the station building.

Complimentary development work is also set to be carried out on public realm in the station quarter and a Strategic Outline Business Case has been prepared for a comprehensive scheme that improves access from the Station to the town centre - an active travel route along Effingham Street with enhanced crossings at Centenary Way.

Other early work includes connections to Mangham Way and potential improvements to an underpass to the North East of the site that is currently susceptible to flooding.

Rotherham Council hopes to open the new station by late 2030, and believes it will bring 1,000 highly-skilled jobs and more than £1bn of private investment in the future phases which include proposals for an innovation campus with 180,000 sq ft of commercial space, a multi-storey car park and a living quarter with 205 flats and 37 houses.

Council papers explain: "The Gateway scheme is crucial to the Don Valley Growth Corridor – a key aspiration and priority for SYMCA, highlighted in their recent Plan for Good Growth. The Rotherham Gateway area alongside Bassingthorpe Farm and Templeborough will contribute to the wider economic corridor, with Gateway being a catalyst to "kickstart" development and investment in the wider region."

Rotherham Gateway website

Images: RMBC

News: New scheme set to provide up to 1,500 new electric vehicle charging points in Rotherham

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 08:44:00 +0000

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet has approved involvement in a scheme which could see up to 1,500 new charging points for electric vehicles across the borough.

Around £1.6m of government investment for public electric vehicle charging points is being secured, ensuring a minimum of 500 new chargers are installed.

In March 2024, a Public Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy was approved which set out how the Council intends to improve the infrastructure network throughout the Borough and ensure a network which meets expected demand by 2040. This introduced a number of targets such as 95% of residences to be within 1.5 miles of a publicly available charge point by 2030 and 95% of residences within a ten-minute walk (or 800 meters/ approximately 0.5 mile) of a publicly available charge point by 2040.

Over the last ten years the Council has installed more than 100 parking bays with public charging, as well as adopting Planning policies requiring EV charging provision in new residential and commercial developments. However, projections show that public EV charging provision is likely to need to increase to at least 1,200 charging points in the next fifteen years.

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The scheme, funded through the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund programme, will be managed by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and be facilitated by the Council.

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr. John Williams, said: “In June this year, 25% of all new car registrations in the UK were electric vehicles, and over the coming years that proportion will only grow. As a result, we will need to step up our efforts to ensure that our public charging infrastructure keeps up with the level of demand.

“Of course, many people who choose to buy an EV now will be able to charge it at home or at work. But this government grant, managed by the Mayor of South Yorkshire’s office, gives us the funding we need to meet our objective of ensuring that a majority of Rotherham households are within walking distance of public charging points, helping to address concerns about households for whom off-street charging is not possible.”

Subject to all four councils in South Yorkshire approving the scheme, SYMCA intend to establish a concession-type contract working with a Chargepoint Operator (CPO) to develop a programme of installations across South Yorkshire.

Current council charging points can be found at car parks, country parks and libraries across Rotherham. The Council had expected to pass 100 public charging bays during 24/25 but admitted that vandalism and cable theft was a significant challenge.

Images: Instavolt

News: Northern Powerhouse Rail commitment "represents real progress" for Rotherham and South Yorkshire

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:38:00 +0000

Although full funding is "not a done deal" the recent announcement on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) represents the government's "commitment to support plans for Rotherham’s new mainline station," South Yorkshire's Mayor says.

Rotherham Gateway Station and the electrification of the Sheffield - Leeds line are included in the first phase of the scheme.

Documents show that transport investment will also support major development plans around the station, linking to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District that includes a spine running through Sheffield and Rotherham.

The new NPR plan has been given an overall funding cap of £45 billion. £1.1 billion has been announced for the Spending Review period, "allowing progress on planning, development, and design work to be made which will unlock benefits for the people of the North from the 2030s."

Setting out the case for change for a Northern Growth Strategy, the Government says that "the first phase will prioritise the quickest wins via upgrades to lines east of the Pennines for delivery in the 2030s, focusing on electrification and upgrades in the Leeds-Bradford, Sheffield-Leeds and Leeds-York corridors, including the stations.

"The expectation is that many of the trains used would be extensions of longer distance services, meaning that this package should also improve links from the Yorkshire cities to the Midlands, London, and the North East. This phase aligns with the proposals for NPR delivery in the 2030s set out in Yorkshire’s Plan for Rail produced by Lord Blunkett with the White Rose Mayors."

The government says that it will work closely with local leaders "to align rail improvements with wider plans to modernise and unlock capacity at key stations." For South Yorkshire this includes: "Providing the additional station capacity needed at Sheffield and working together with local leaders to ensure tram-train interdependencies and options are fully explored as part of the forward joint development work. While more substantial work on Sheffield-Manchester connections will come in phase 3, this phase will consider opportunities for unlocking additional capacity on this corridor sooner.

"The government will also ensure that development work aligns with local plans for a new Rotherham station, for which final business case funding has been confirmed."

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South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard said that the NPR announcement is a commitment to improvements to Sheffield station, four fast trains an hour to Leeds (up from two) on electrified lines from Sheffield and through Rotherham Gateway Station, which the government has now committed to supporting plans for.

Coppard added that he is expecting "millions of pounds to kick-start our plans for extensions to the Supertram network" and added that plans for a Dearne Valley Parkway station could be back on the table as NPR is developed.

Mayor Coppard, said: “For South Yorkshire, Northern Powerhouse Rail represents real progress. Better connections between Sheffield, Leeds and Manchester mean quicker, more reliable journeys, opening up more choice around work, skills and opportunity for everyone across our region.

“This plan for Northern Powerhouse Rail isn’t just about faster trains. It’s about working with central government to build a transport system that matches the ambition we have for South Yorkshire over the next decade and beyond. There’s still a lot to do, but today's commitment from government gives us confidence we will see a step-change in transport across the North.”

Over £11m of local transport funding has been agreed to develop a full business case for Rotherham Gateway station at Parkgate. A 20-year programme of transformation includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm. It is a £300m regeneration project with proponents aiming to have the station open by late 2030.

Cllr. Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council, said that the commitment to Rotherham Gateway being at the heart of investment plans was "nothing less than Rotherham people deserve."

He added: "For the last forty years Rotherham has been off the mainline rail network. Our plan isn't just to put that right, but to maximise the opportunities that it presents; direct connection into the tram-train network, with thousands of jobs created, and facilitating further high-quality local housing.

"With likely train journey times of just half an hour to Leeds, and a little over an hour to Manchester and Birmingham - as well as potentially direct connections to London in the future - the station doesn't just widen commute and work opportunities for Rotherham people, but in turn creates new business opportunities to relocate here too. We see that as part of a whole package of exciting developments between Rotherham and Sheffield along the Don Valley corridor.

"It's especially heartening to see that the government is considering Rotherham Gateway as part of the first stage of Northern Powerhouse Rail development. There is still a huge amount of work to do, with development of the full business case required and funding certainty reached before the first spade goes in the ground. It's definitely not a done deal, and I'd urge everyone to sign up to our station campaign to help us maintain momentum for the project."

Rotherham Gateway website

Images: DfT / RMBC

News: Rotherham Gateway Station included in Northern Powerhouse Rail announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 08:48:00 +0000

There's strong signals of support for efforts to return mainline train services to Rotherham as part of a £300m regeneration project as the Rotherham Gateway Station is included in the first phase of the Northern Powerhouse Rail vision announced by the Government.

With more reliable and more frequent trains across major cities in the North, the NPR plans will drastically improve how people travel for work, education and leisure with the government adding that growing the productivity of the five largest cities to the national average would add up to £40 billion a year to UK economy.

The first phase will prioritise upgrades and electrification between Leeds-Sheffield, Leeds-York and Leeds-Bradford to transform commutes, set to be delivered in the 2030s. In the North East, work on the business case for the Leamside Line will be taken forward, as part of ensuring NPR services reach Newcastle.

With £1.1 billion to progress planning and development work as soon as possible, plans include improvements for Leeds, Sheffield and York stations – supporting significant regeneration plans to unlock tens of thousands of homes and jobs. The plan also includes pressing forward with work on Bradford Station, putting a young, dynamic city of 500,000 people at the heart of the northern network.

Over £11m of local transport funding has now been agreed for South Yorkshire to develop a new Rotherham Gateway station at Parkgate, which the announcement says "spells an end to slow journeys to Leeds and support the ambitious regeneration plans for the town."

When the previous government published its Integrated Rail Plan for the North and Midlands (IRP) in 2021, it scaled back ambitions for NPR with Rotherham and Sheffield missed off the new network.

The new NPR plan has been given an overall funding cap of £45 billion.

South Yorkshire's mayor has previously expressed that improving the Sheffield-Leeds connection through NPR supports the Rotherham Gateway Station proposal. The pausing of plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield last year means that it remains the largest city in the UK without electrified railways.

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Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long, the North has been held back by underinvestment and years of dither and delay – but that ends now.

“This new era of investment will not just speed up journeys, it will mean new jobs and homes for people, making a real difference to millions of lives.

“The exciting improved stations across Leeds, Sheffield, York and Bradford will reflect the prestigious place rail holds in the northern economy, and regenerate vibrant, bustling districts in these cities.

“The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail will prioritise upgrading rail connections across Yorkshire and progressing work on the business case for the Leamside Line as part of ensuring services reach Newcastle, improving opportunities across the region.”

A future phase for NPR will focus on improved connections between Manchester and Sheffield given that it can take up to one hour 23 minutes to get to Manchester airport from Leeds or Sheffield, even though they are around 40 miles away.

This landmark upgrade to rail travel is one of the central building blocks of a plan for the North – to be published in the Spring. This will include plans for a northern growth corridor from Liverpool to York via West and South Yorkshire and bespoke plans for the North-East to make the most of opportunities in clean energy, AI, innovation and city centre regeneration.

Not only will plans improve travel connections, the redevelopment of stations and surrounding neighbourhoods will bring in new homes, jobs and local businesses. Rotherham's station masterplan shows how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

The idea is to use a mainline station integrated with a tram-train stop to further develop the advanced manufacturing cluster within South Yorkshire as part of the UK’s first Investment Zone. Future phases involve the creation of an innovation campus of around 180,000 sq ft of commercial space, further industrial zones and introducing new housing in the area.

Rotherham Gateway website

Images: RMBC

News: Sheffield - Rotherham tram-train fare cut

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:44:00 +0000

A major boost for public transport in South Yorkshire has been announced as Supertram fares and child concessionary fares across bus and tram are frozen, along with a cut to the long distance single Supertram fare. It includes the Sheffield - Rotherham tram-train.

£2 bus fares were introduced nationally but came to an end in 2024, reverting to a single fare cap at £3 in 2025.

Stagecoach, the previous operator of the Supertam service in Sheffield and Rotherham, introduced £2 single fares and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) covered costs to extend the scheme. Under public control, Supertram fares were previously capped at £2.80 and changed to £3.40 in 2025 "to offset increases in operating costs, align with broader transport fare changes in the region and enable continued investment."

Now the South Yorkshire Mayor has confirmed that Supertram fares will be frozen at their current rate for 2026 and the adult long distance Supertram single fare will reduce in price from £3.40 to £3 - putting the cost in line with the national bus fare cap price.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “My mission is simple: to create a world-class, integrated public transport system that’s affordable and accessible. For decades, Supertram has suffered from a lack of investment, and fixing that hasn’t been easy. But we’ve brought Supertram back under public control – and buses will follow in 2027.

“That means decisions are made here in South Yorkshire, for the benefit of the people who live and work here – including the fares you pay. Whether you’re commuting, studying, visiting family or heading out for the night, we’re building a transport network that works for everyone.

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“From January, for the whole of 2026, we’re cutting the price of an adult long-distance tram ticket from £3.40 to £3 and freezing all other Supertram fares. We’re also keeping the child concessionary fare at £1 across buses and trams – helping families travel more easily.

“Freezing and reducing fares is just the start. In 2026, we’ll also open the new tram-train station at Magna, as well as spending millions to make the network more resilient and reliable, and accelerate our preparations for bus franchising in 2027. It’s going to be an exciting year as we continue to transform our public transport in South Yorkshire.”

Since Supertram was brought back into public control, work has started on a £110m investment by SYMCA into the existing tram network improving the track, the lines and the network – and initiatives including allowing dogs on trams are opening up the network to more people.

SYMCA papers state that the first year of the Supertram system being under public control saw strong performance with growing patronage. However, this increase has slowed and has since declined this year with tram patronage down 3% on an annualised/rolling basis. The data suggests that, following the fare increase, passengers may be viewing public transport as too expensive / not offering value for money.

The Supertram Business Plan is expected to come before the MCA Board ahead of the new financial year and contain more details around the performance of the system, and improvements and efficiencies made.

The reduction in the cost of the Adult Long Distance Supertram Single fare applies to on-board purchases of single tickets. Passengers can also continue to make more savings on travel by purchasing multi-day tickets and using the TSY Mobile App where further discounts apply. Adult Tram Day prices remain at £5.70 if bought on the tram or £5.30 bought in advance using the app.

The child concessionary fare across buses and trams will also remain at just £1 per journey, funded by SYMCA. Since November 2023 the price for a ticket has been £1 and the freeze on the fare applies across Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

In Barnsley, SYMCA is one of the partners, along with Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, funding the MiCard pilot which currently offers free bus travel for children and young people aged 5 to 18, as long as the journey starts or ends in the Barnsley local authority area and is within South Yorkshire.

Supertram website

Images: Supertram

News: MP fully on board with Rotherham Gateway Station project

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:35:00 +0000

Local MP John Healey has added his name to the campaign to return mainline train services to Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in October on Rotherham Council launching a campaign as part of a £300m regeneration project.

A long-standing supporter of the project, the MP for Rawmarsh & Conisbrough, joined to celebrate the major milestone of reaching 500 public pledges.

A 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate shows how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Rotherham Gateway will reconnect the town to the mainline rail network for the first time since the 1980s, delivering faster connections to major cities including Sheffield, Leeds and Birmingham, while unlocking new regional and national routes.

The scheme, which will complement the existing Rotherham Central station, also proposes a new tram-train stop, which will provide quick and convenient local connections, including to Rotherham town centre.

Representing a long-term investment in Rotherham’s future, the project is expected to create up to 1,000 jobs locally, with a further 8,000 across the wider South Yorkshire Investment Zone - delivering an economic uplift of over £100m through new employment opportunities.

Discussions are ongoing with the Department for Transport, which is currently reviewing the Outline Business Case. This follows the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s approval of £11.35 million to develop a Full Business Case.

The long-term ambition is to open the new station by the early 2030s at the latest.

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John Healey MP, Member of Parliament for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough and Secretary of State for Defence said: "I am pleased to join the many residents and local businesses who believe in Rotherham’s potential.

“Growth is at the heart of the government’s agenda, and the Gateway Station brings huge opportunity to the town to drive economic growth and bring much needed opportunities and investment into our region.

This is a project with strong local backing and clear economic benefits. I hope residents continue to support it so we can secure the improvements Rotherham deserves.”

Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council said: “Rotherham Gateway will transform our rail connectivity and could be the single biggest thing we can do to lift the future prospects of Rotherham’s economy.

“Gateway Station will act as a foundation for Rotherham’s wider regeneration, attracting renewed investment, supporting new housing and creating opportunities for local businesses to thrive.

“Beyond Rotherham, it will deliver lasting benefits for the region. Having seen the dedication, collaboration and hard work that has gone into making this project a reality, I’m delighted to see the support on the pledge page from so many local residents, businesses, community groups and politicians.”

Rotherham Gateway website

Images: RMBC

News: New demand responsive transport services to be piloted in Rotherham

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:48:00 +0000

Connectivity across Rotherham could be improved by innovative new demand responsive public transport services.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard confirmed recently that the region’s first publicly controlled buses will begin operating in Doncaster and most of Sheffield from September 2027. The rollout will continue in Barnsley and Rotherham by the end of 2028, with the rest of Sheffield following in 2029.

Since the Mayor’s decision to take control of the buses in March 2025, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has been working at pace to reverse nearly 40 years of deregulation and put the public back at the heart of public transport. That means SYMCA will control the bus routes, timetables, fares, ticket options and quality standards and will be able to reinvest profits back into improving services.

As part of its work to address connectivity issues across the region, SYMCA is looking to launch a pilot project next year around demand responsive transport.

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Demand responsive transport is a flexible service that provides shared transport to users who specify their desired location and time of pick-up and drop-off. It can complement fixed route public transport services and improve mobility in low-density areas and at low-demand times of day.

Services run without a set timetable and typically use smaller vehicles than fixed route bus services. Dial-a-ride minibus services scheduled through advance bookings are a traditional example. Dynamic schemes enable routes to be adjusted in real time to accommodate new pick-up requests, often made minutes in advance.

SYMCA has begun tapping up the private sector for a provider to supply and operate the software for, and run pilot services, in two separate zones - one in Doncaster and one in Rotherham.

Tender documents explain that the £1.7m pilot scheme would run from April 2026 to March 2027 and involve a minimum of two wheelchair accessible vehicles per zone, running 12 hours a day (6:00-18:00), Monday to Saturday (excluding most Bank Holidays).

The booking system would involve app and phone booking, in real-time and in advance, plus route optimisation.

Rotherham Community Transport has charity status and a fleet of over 30 vehicles and is already offering a number of Door 2 Door services such as its Dial-A-Ride and Shopper Bus.

Images: Rotherham Community Transport

News: The £2.45m of transport improvements in Rotherham that hasn't improved traffic flows

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:13:00 +0000

A multimillion pound transport scheme in a Rotherham village has failed to improve traffic flow, the local council has admitted.

Where Coach Road meets Main Street and Potter Hill in Greasbrough, a mini roundabout was replaced by a three-way crossroads, with traffic lights and dedicated left and right turn lanes, aiming to relieve congestion at this busy junction.

To improve safety and encourage travel on foot and by bike, paths around the junction were widened to provide cycle routes, and new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists have been installed.

In 2021, £2.45m was secured from the Local Growth Fund via the predecessor to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), and the work was carried out by Esh Construction, on behalf of Rotherham Council.

Following correspondence from local MP Sarah Champion, Rotherham Council said that a review of the scheme has shown that "the improvements have not had the desired effect of increasing traffic capacity through the junction."

In 2017, Rotherham Council approved an option to demolish Greasbrough Public Hall so that future road improvements could be carried out here. Papers showed at the time that the Council deemed that the strategic importance of improving the infrastructure around the proposed Bassingthorpe Farm development outweighed proposals to save the historic village hall.

Removed from the greenbelt, a masterplan has recently been signed off for a 2,000 home development - a "well-connected 21st century garden community" at Bassingthorpe.

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Andrew Bramidge, Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment at Rotherham Council, said in the letter that "It is apparent that traffic has redistributed around the local highway network negatively affecting junction operation. In particular, it appears that there has been a significant increase in demand for some movements, including a significant increase on outflow from the junction toward the north, which could explain the apparent underperformance of the scheme. This may be a consequence of a well-documented effect, where improvements to junction capacity can result in increased traffic, where road users change their route or travel behaviours in response to driving being made more attractive.

"Secondly research undertaken by (sic) regionally has identified a local factor with regards the operation of junctions in South Yorkshire. Research has shown that the actual traffic flow crossing stop lines, known as the saturation flow, is generally lower than the values calculated using industry standard methodology (TRRL research report RR67). The research showed that some drivers are, relative to industry standard forecasting, slow to respond to a green signal and the queue starting to move and / or prefer to leave a larger gap to the vehicle in front. This has led to green time effectively being 'wasted' and the junctions not operating as expected with actual saturation flows (simplistically the capacity of the junction) being 18% less than expected values on average."

Further work at the junction has been ruled out and a nearby project for "The Whins" no longer appears on any lists of council capital projects having previously been identified as a project that could be funded by the authority's Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). A potential scheme to support Bassingthorpe had been in development for a new roundabout at the triangular road layout on Cinder Bridge Road. A passing bay at the junction was also discussed back in 2023.

Sarah Champion said that she was disappointed that the response offered no solution. adding: "This simply is not good enough, and it is something that I will keep pushing alongside Greasbrough’s local councillors."

Images: Google Maps

News: Innovative rail ticket technology trial expands across the North

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 09:14:00 +0000

Rail passengers in South Yorkshire can now join hundreds across England in trialling new digital ticketing technology.

People going between Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster can take advantage of simpler and more flexible ticket options when they travel on Northern rail services.

More than 2,000 journeys and counting have already been made under similar trials on East Midlands Railway and Northern services, which both launched in September 2025.

Digital ticketing trials allow passengers to check in and check out seamlessly on rail journeys, using a location-identifying app on their phone. The app tracks journeys using GPS (Global Positioning System) technology and then automatically charges participants at the end of the day. For ticket inspections and to go through ticket barriers, a unique bar code will pop up in the app to be scanned.

This technology replaces the need for paper tickets or more commonly used mobile tickets bought online or in-app ahead of journeys. Doing away with the need to plan and book travel in advance, the app tracks which trains passengers take, detecting when they have left the rail network.

The latest trial comes as the government is delivering the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation through the creation of Great British Railways, which will help to deliver better services for passengers and simpler fares across the network.

Thanks to government backing, passengers taking part in the trial will get £15 worth of free travel, with credit automatically added to their account.

Another trial of the technology launched on the Sheffield to Barnsley route run by Northern on December 1 2025.

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Alex Hornby, Commercial and Customer Director at Northern, said: "We’re proud to be at the forefront of modernising rail travel in the North. The success of the first trial has shown that passengers value the simplicity and flexibility that technology brings.

"This second trial is an exciting next step and we’re excited to offer customers in that area a smarter, easier way to travel. This is about removing barriers and making rail the obvious choice for everyday journeys."

Mayor of South Yorkshire, Oliver Coppard, said: "It’s encouraging to see new technology being trialled to make rail travel easier for us all here in South Yorkshire. We know ticketing can be a barrier, especially for people who don’t travel often, so anything that helps make the system more straightforward to use is a step in the right direction.

"I’ll be keeping a close eye on how this trial works for passengers. If it helps break down barriers and makes rail more accessible for everyone, then it’s something we’ll want to build on."

Backed by nearly £1m of government funding, the trials are part of plans to modernise our transport system, putting passenger experience at the heart of every journey and encouraging more people to take the train – building on the government’s mission to deliver growth.

Northern Rail website

Images: Northern Rail

News: "Tourist tax" could raise £7m a year in South Yorkshire

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:09:00 +0000

The mayor of South Yorkshire will be able to invest in transport, infrastructure, and the visitor economy through a new levy on overnight stays.

The fee would apply to visitors’ overnight trips, and it would be up to mayors and other local leaders to introduce a modest charge if it’s right for their area.

Any new levy would apply to visitors at accommodation providers including hotels, holiday lets, bed and breakfasts, and guesthouses.

Money raised could then help fund local projects that improve communities and enhance tourists’ experiences, that could potentially help attract more visitors – without needing approval from central government. Research also shows that reasonable fees have minimal impact on visitor numbers.

Many cities around the world charge tourists a small fee when they visit, including New York, Paris and Milan.

The announcement is the latest step forward in the government’s mission to devolve power and give those who know their areas best control over how money is spent in their communities.

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Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Steve Reed said: "Tourists travel from near and far to visit England’s brilliant cities and regions.

"We’re giving our mayors powers to harness this and put more money into local priorities, so they can keep driving growth and investing in these communities for years to come."

Businesses, communities and others with an interest in the measure can have their say on how it should work, with a consultation running for 12 weeks.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said that he welcomed the new powers to introduce a Visitor Levy. He said: "Even a small charge on hotel rooms could raise up to £7m every year for South Yorkshire, money we can reinvest directly into our local events and services to make our region an even better place to visit."

An estimated 36.3 million tourism visits were made to South Yorkshire in 2024 but its overnight holiday and leisure visits market is not as well developed as other destinations in the UK.

A key aim of the South Yorkshire Local Visitor Economy Partnership (SYLVEP) is to develop a stronger visitor product with more compelling reasons for people to come (and to stay longer in the area).

Images: Courtyard by Marriott

News: Transport funding diverted to Rotherham Gateway Station project

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 11:48:00 +0000

Rotherham Council looks to have paused a number of multimillion pound transport schemes, with external funding instead going towards the cost of the proposed new mainline station.

The £300m scheme has recently cleared another hurdle within central government.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Integrated with a new tram-train stop, the station would bring faster rail connections. A new mainline rail station at Forge Way would deliver faster links to Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and Doncaster, unlocking wider regional and national connectivity. The aim is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes and to be 75 minutes to Birmingham.

The station already has millions of pounds attached to it. Backing the project in June, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) approved £11.35m that will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement. £10m of government funding has already been secured for land acquisition.

The total costs of the station, based on estimates from Network Rail, is £133m, and could be as much as £166m for a four-platform station. The station is part of a £300m regeneration scheme.

SYMCA papers show that the Department for Transport (DfT) has given its "approval of the scheme progressing to the next funding gateway" but overall funding for Rotherham Gateway Station has yet to be confirmed, with the borough also waiting on costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

So far, £1m has been utilised from SYMCA's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), with £11.35m now set to be used from the same pot.

Earlier this month, Rotherham Council authorised another £400k for the station project, to be used from a £3m feasability fund that uses another SYMCA allocation. The money will enable the appointment of consultants and a programme director.

Recent SYMCA papers show that decisions have been taken in Rotherham to redeploy transport funding to the Mainline Station scheme.

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An update to the SYMCA board shows that there is a forecasted decrease of £71m in the authority's capital spend on transport with £25m relating to internally delivered transport activity, such as delays to the tram asset renewal (£21m).

The paper also discusses: "decisions taken in Rotherham to pause a number of schemes in consideration of the opportunity to redeploy funding to the Mainline Station scheme, subject to DfT’s approval of the scheme progressing to the next funding gateway which has now been received."

The station is a DfT retained scheme, held back by the Governmnet for further review or development before funding is released.

A previous SYMCA paper highlighted continued funding for key transport investment schemes in Rotherham such as £12.34m for the mainline station (up from £1m) and funding for proposed active travel schemes (Broom Road to Wickersley Extension Corridor - £10.7m, and Rotherham East Cycle and Bus Priority Package - £16.5m).

The paper also showed a number of schemes previously lined up for CRSTS funding given a latest forecast of £0. These include Worrygoose Roundabout improvements, which was initially earmarked for £4.8m, and the Maltby Active Travel Neighbourhood scheme, where £2m from CRSTS was previously set aside. Forecast spends have also been reduced for proposed improvements at Ickles Roundabout (from £7.5m to £4m) and at Doncaster Road, Dalton (from £1.2m to £200k).

CRSTS was confirmed in 2022, with South Yorkshire securing £570m. A further £1.5 billion was confirmed for South Yorkshire in June 2025. £530m is set to be used to renew the Supertram network with £350m set aside to reform South Yorkshire’s buses. What the rest of the new funding will be used for has not yet been detailed.

The latest settlement, now renamed "Transport for City Regions" is for 2027-28 to 2031-32 with around £12m brought forward and made available in 2026-27. Funding allocations for the final year of the CRSTS programme (2026-27) were still to be confirmed and both could be a part of the Integrated Settlement from 2026-27.

Images: RMBC

News: Improving Sheffield-Leeds connection through NPR supports Rotherham Gateway Station proposal

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:33:00 +0000

Political and business leaders from Sheffield and Leeds travelled to Westminster recently to make the case for "transformational rail investment" between the two city regions.

And this week mayors and leaders have written to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget, calling for investment that will unlock investment and opportunity across the North.

The government is yet to confirm costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).

The call is for major investment in infrastructure, by delivering NPR in full, complementing other rail investment across the North of England to deliver better connectivity across all places to create ‘a spine’ that connects the whole North.

A full NPR would include electrification of the Leeds-Sheffield line which currently has just one fast train an hour meaning that the growth of the cities is being held back by outdated, Victorian rail infrastructure.

The two cities are urging the Government to back NPR between Sheffield and Leeds, with a clear timetable and delivery plan.

That includes:

- Four fast trains an hour between Sheffield and Leeds, bringing services in line with comparable cities across the UK.
- Improvements at Sheffield Midland Station, freeing up rail capacity on the main line by expanding the tram-train network.
- Investment in greater capacity at Leeds City Station, so it becomes a hub for onward travel into the city centre and is fit-for-purpose for the new mass transit system.

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South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: “Sheffield is the largest city in the UK without electrified rail, and our station will be at capacity by December. Delivering four fast trains an hour to Leeds as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail will help to unlock over a million extra journeys a year, boosting jobs, growth, and opportunity across the whole of Yorkshire.

“Improving links between Sheffield and Leeds will also support the proposed Rotherham Gateway station, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to connect the UK’s first Investment Zone and Innovation Spine - right in the heart of South Yorkshire - to the wider Northern economy.

“After decades of under-investment, it’s time we got a fair deal. Investment in rail isn’t just about faster trains, it’s about tackling the big challenges we face and helping Yorkshire move forward.”

The pausing of plans for the electrification of the Midland Main Line to Sheffield earlier this year means that it remains the largest city in the UK without electrified railways.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

One of the aims is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes.

Rotherham Gateway Station website

Images: RMBC

News: Major Chinese car brands open showrooms in Rotherham

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:17:00 +0000

Two prominent Chinese auto manufacturers have opened at established car dealerships in Rotherham.

At Parkgate, Evans Halshaw has recently added BYD vehicles as part of a growing partnership between the dealer and the Shenzhen brand.

Taking over the current Evans Halshaw Ford dealership on Aldwarke Road, the site offers both new and used BYD cars, plus a selection of used cars of all makes and models. In addition to BYD aftersales, the site will remain a Ford Authorised Repairer, with the current team staying in place for servicing, MOTs, and repairs.

With another new outlet in Chesterfield, Evans Halshaw now has five BYD dealerships, showcasing the Atto 2 compact SUV, the plug-in hybrid SEAL U DM-i, and the Dolphin Surf city car.

The brand sold over 11,271 cars in September 2025, representing a substantial rise of 880% compared to the same month last year. The UK is the largest international market for BYD outside of China.

Rob Miller, group vice president of multi brand, said: “We are thrilled to be expanding our BYD network with the opening of these two new dealerships in Chesterfield and Rotherham.

“This marks an exciting step forward in the growing partnership between Evans Halshaw and BYD.

“Together, we’re committed to delivering exceptional service and bringing innovative electric and hybrid vehicles to more customers across the UK.”

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At the historic "Mushroom Garage" at Aldwarke, Geely has joined the Stoneacre family.

The Hangzhou-based manufacturer is one of the world’s most innovative automotive brands and has launched in the UK with Stoneacre's Goole, Hull, and Rotherham dealerships being among the first in the country to showcase the new vehicles such as the fully electric SUV - the Geely EX5.

Part of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Geely’s global family includes Volvo Cars, Polestar, Lotus, Lynk & Co, ZEEKR, and LEVC (the makers of London’s famous electric taxis).

A spokesperson for Stoneacre, said: "At Stoneacre, we’re passionate about giving our customers more choice, more innovation, and more excitement behind the wheel. Partnering with Geely reinforces our reputation as one of the UK’s most diverse and forward-thinking motor groups.

"With over 100 franchise outlets nationwide, Stoneacre is proud to welcome Geely into our expanding electric and hybrid line-up. From Goole, Hull, and Rotherham, we’ll be giving drivers their first taste of this revolutionary new brand."

It remains to be seen if the Renault car on top of the prominent showroom is replaced.

Evans Halshaw website
Stonacre website

Images: Evans Halshaw

News: Milestone met but Magna tram stop completion moved to 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:57:00 +0000

South Yorkshire’s newest Tram Train station has reached a major construction milestone, with the installation of lift shafts and a new passenger overbridge now complete at Magna in Rotherham.

Set to open in "early 2026", the £10m station and Park & Ride at Templeborough will serve the Tram Train route between Sheffield and Rotherham - improving access for residents, businesses and the Magna Science Adventure Centre, reducing congestion and pollution within the Lower Don Valley, and supporting wider regeneration in the area.

When South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) signed a funding agreement for the project, it forecasted a completion and entry into service of Autumn/Winter 2024.

Rothbiz reported in February that legal issues and delays associated with obtaining the necessary railway consents had pushed the completion date to November 2025.

AmcoGiffen is the principal contractor with the new infrastructure marking a significant step forward in the delivery of the station, which will feature fully accessible platforms, step-free access via lifts, and a pedestrian overbridge connecting both sides of the tracks.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “It’s brilliant to see real progress being made at Magna. We’re building a better-connected South Yorkshire.

“This is about more than concrete and steel. It’s about making sure our public transport network works for everyone - accessible, joined-up, and designed around the needs of our communities.

“When the new station opens early next year, it’ll help more people get to work, get to school and spend time with friends and family. It’s another step towards a fairer, greener, more ambitious South Yorkshire. And I can’t wait to see it up and running."

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The Magna Tram Train station is being delivered by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) in partnership with Network Rail and Supertram, with £8.1m in funding from the UK Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

Roisin Lowery, Network Rail sponsor, said: “The completion of the lift shafts and passenger bridge marks a key milestone in the project to complete the new Magna Tram Train station. We’re proud to be working with our partners to deliver what will be a major step forward in improving connectivity in this part of South Yorkshire.”

The station will be the first new Tram Train stop added to the network since the pioneering service launched in 2018, and is expected to improve access to jobs, education and leisure for thousands of residents and visitors.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: “The new Tram Train station at Magna is a further step forward for Rotherham and the wider region - improving the way our public transport network works, and strengthening our plans for more jobs and homes along the corridor along Templeborough and beyond.

“This project is about making sure Rotherham residents and people across the region benefit from better, greener transport and that our town continues to grow. We’re proud to be working with partners to deliver this investment. I look forward to seeing the station open and making a real difference for our communities and visitors.”

Barnsley-based AmcoGiffen is employing 20 local staff and prioritising regional procurement. Key structural components, including the station’s footbridge and lift shafts, were fabricated at AmcoGiffen’s Barnsley steel fabrication facility, making the most of the area's strong network of construction suppliers.

AmcoGiffen’s Operations Director, Peter Laws, said: “We’re proud to play a key role in delivering South Yorkshire’s flagship Tram Train station, showcasing the strength of our delivery capabilities. This project has been a true collaboration between all partners, and we’re delighted to be delivering it safely, efficiently, and to schedule, helping to create lasting benefits for the community.”

Tram Train services continue to run as normal during Magna Tram Train station construction, except on Saturday evenings when dedicated replacement bus TT1 replaces services between Meadowhall South, Rotherham Central and Parkgate. A full Tram Train service will resume from December 6.

SYMCA website

Images: SYMCA

News: Council staff warned about parking at Forge Island

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:21:00 +0000

Staff at Rotherham Council have been reminded that the car parking at Forge Island is for users of the cinema, food outlets and hotel, following a number of complaints.

Forge Island is the £47m regeneration scheme in the town centre delivered by Rotherham Council in partnership with Muse.

Near to the authority's Riverside House offices, the development includes a 340 space car park, operated by the council, that was created on the main site with the new buildings on a podium above.

The initial parking strategy offered free parking for hotel customers between the hours of 4pm and 10am. In addition, those customers using the cinema were offered concessionary free parking for a period of up to 3.5 hours. A 30-minute concession period for drop-offs was also introduced.

In February Rothbiz revealed that the authority had decided to offer unlimited free parking for patrons of all businesses at the new leisure destination that includes an 8-screen Arc cinema, food outlets and a Travelodge.

However, since the development was completed, and the hotel and cinema opened in 2024, the exit barrier to the car park has rarely been in operation.

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An update to all council staff, shared by independent counillor, Michael Bennett-Sylvester, reads: "We've received a number of complaints about parking availability at Forge Island. Please remember that parking at Forge Island is currently only for customers using the site. This is essential to support the new businesses and ensure a positive experience for their customers.

"From Monday 6 October, Parking Services staff will be present at Forge Island to ensure the site is used appropriately. If you've been parking there, please make alternative arrangements going forward.

"Nearby Council car parks available for staff use include:

• The Statutes
• Westgate
• Drummond Street"

Rotherham Council admitted that the initial parking strategy was confusing for customers.

With the approved changes, it was expected that customers of Forge Island businesses would need to validate free, unlimited parking through receipts.

The car park currently uses an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, which registers number plates upon entry.

In June the authority introduced one hour’s free parking in council-run car parks in Rotherham town centre, including Forge Island. The £50,000 a year move aims to "support local businesses, boost footfall, and encourage residents to shop locally."

Images: Google Maps / Vetro Lounge / facebook

News: Action stations! Council launches campaign for Rotherham Gateway

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 11:06:00 +0000

Rotherham Council has formally launched a campaign to return mainline train services to Rotherham, as part of a £300m regeneration project.

Rothbiz reported in June on the 20-year masterplan for Rotherham Gateway Station at Parkgate which showed how a transport improvement scheme can act as the catalyst for a much wider regeneration project supporting thousands of new jobs.

Integrated with a new tram-train stop, the station would bring faster rail connections. A new mainline rail station at Forge Way would deliver faster links to Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, and Doncaster, unlocking wider regional and national connectivity. The aim is for journey times to Leeds to be cut from 60 minutes to 30 minutes and to be 75 minutes to Birmingham.

Station opening has been pencilled in for "late 2030" with the four-phase masterplan showing two platforms, with passive provision for four, to support future growth.

As a regeneration scheme, commercial opportunities would be created with a new station driving new economic activity and regeneration. The idea is for a new Innovation Campus to be created in the area to build on historic manufacturing strengths and foster regional growth.

The council estimates that new employment prospects and business activity will inject a significant £52m boost into the local economy and points to the station location at the heart of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone and near to the proposed 2,000 home development at Bassingthorpe.

People are being urged to get on board with the campaign to make the station a reality.

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A council call to action states: "The borough has a rich industrial heritage and bold plans for regeneration, advanced manufacturing and housing. However, limited rail connectivity is holding back economic growth. Restoring mainline train services to Rotherham for the first time since the 1980s is not just a long-overdue improvement – it is something the borough is entitled to.

"Better transport links in Rotherham are vital to connecting people, industry and business locally, regionally and nationally.

"Together, we can deliver Rotherham’s Gateway to the future. Your support is vital to turn vision into reality."

The programme includes more than 355,000 sq ft of advanced manufacturing and commercial space, around 250 new homes, and up to 132,000 sq ft of green spaces and public realm.

The business case for the station and wider masterplan area highlights the potential to create 1,200 new jobs.

Cllr. Chris Read: leader of Rotherham Council, said that the station was "part of a £300m package to transform our rail connectivity, create a thousand jobs and facilitate thousands of new homes" adding that: "It could be the single biggest thing we can do to lift the future prospects of Rotherham’s economy."

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has approved £11.35m that will enable the detailed design of the project and move it towards procurement. £10m of government funding has been secured for land acquisition.

The government is yet to confirm funding for Rotherham Gateway Station with the borough waiting on costed plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Rotherham Gateway Station website

Images: RMBC

News: Haulage operators receive £3.75m funding to drive growth

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 10:05:00 +0000

Yorkshire-based, TSL Vanguard and Specialist Trailer Hire (STH), have received a £3.75m funding package from NatWest to support their ongoing expansion and strengthen their operations across Leeds and Rotherham.

Operating locally since 1968, the family run businesses specialise in haulage, warehousing, logistics and truck hire needs, tailoring services to offer both short and long term rentals. The funding—comprising a £2.75m Royal Bank of Scotland Invoice Finance (RBSIF) facility and a £1m loan—will be used to purchase additional premises, boosting capacity and storage space to meet increasing customer demand.

STH provides a comprehensive range of services including commercial vehicle management, contract hire, maintenance, breakdown support, and long-term rentals. TSL Vanguard complements this offering with general haulage and warehousing services.

The acquisition of additional premises will support the businesses’ long term growth through greater capacity to extend their fleet and diversify service offerings, which currently include the operation of more than 1,000 trailers. This expansion will also allow more specialist roles to be brought in-house, reducing dependency on third parties and creating new employment opportunities in both Leeds and Holmes in Rotherham.

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Mark Liversidge, Managing Director at Specialist Trailer Hire, commented: “Securing this funding marks a significant milestone for both TSL Vanguard and Specialist Trailer Hire. We’re excited about the opportunities this creates, both for our team and our customers, as ultimately the funding will enable us to invest in the space and infrastructure required for continued growth.

“We’ve had a great relationship with NatWest for years now and we’re looking forward to the future."

Mark Forsyth, Senior Relationship Manager at NatWest, said: “As longstanding customers, we’re proud to support TSL Vanguard and Specialist Trailer Hire with a funding package that will enable them to scale their operations and invest in long-term growth.

Both businesses have a strong track record and a clear vision for the future, and we’re looking forward to continuing our work together and helping to enable their continued growth within the region, whether that’s through funding packages or the specialist knowledge, networks and expertise we can offer for businesses”.

Both companies are committed to environmental responsibility and evolving to meet the demands of the modern environment, with ongoing investment in fleet upgrades to reduce emissions. TSL Vanguard and STH are accredited by the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, which sets safety and efficiency standards within the transport operations industry, recognising fleet performance in key areas such as environmental impact, safety, and operational efficiency.

The funding represents a significant step toward achieving the group’s long-term ambition of maintaining a strong position within the haulage and logistics market while expanding operational capabilities to meet future demands.

STH website
TSL Vanguard website

Images: STH

News: Consultees raise same issues again in "left behind" Rotherham

noreply@blogger.com (Tom Austen) — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 08:38:00 +0000

Consultation is underway that will guide a £20m investment into the town over the next ten years, and the issue of feeling safe is coming to the fore again.

Consultees (people who live, work or visit the main urban areas around the town centre) assessed the area low in most themes and picked out safety, run-down streets and parking as key issues.

Rothbiz reported in March that £20m earmarked for Rotherham by the previous Government had been confirmed and given a wider remit focusing on neighbourhood renewal and improving social capital.

Now called Plan for Neighbourhoods, the £1.5 billion programme sets out to invest in 75 areas over the next decade – "a long-term strategy to fix the foundations of those places most left behind." It focuses on three core themes: Thriving Places, Stronger Communities, and Taking Back Control. These themes aim to revitalise local areas, address deprivation, and empower residents by focusing on local needs and priorities.

The findings echo the previous consultation carried out before the government revamped the strategy. Rotherham's long term plan for towns included the key themes of safety and security, high streets, heritage and regeneration, and transport and connectivity.

An update to councillors explains that Rotherham is one of 75 places to receive funding based on its level of need. Money will be spent inside the boundary chosen by Government, known as a "Built Up Area." It is based on data provided by the Office for National Statistics and is the area of a town characterised by urban features such as town centres, major infrastructure and larger populations.

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Consultation used the "Place Standard" tool to assess and improve the quality of places by helping to identify what's good about a place, what needs to be protected, changed, or improved.

Results so far show that the lowest score was for the Influence & Sense of Control theme which scored an average of 2.83 out of 7. A council paper said that "Residents don’t feel listened to. While surveys and councillors are valued, people want clearer evidence that feedback leads to change."

The next lowest theme was Feeling Safe at 2.91, the report adding: "Safety is one of the biggest concerns. Crime, antisocial behaviour, and intimidation make people feel unsafe, especially at night. CCTV and lighting are valued but seen as not enough."

Parking problems in neighbourhoods, litter and fly-tipping have also been flagged up.

In the Street & Spaces theme, the report highlights that "heritage and recent improvements valued, but many streets fee [sic] run-down and in need of better upkeep" and in the Identity & Belonging theme, consultees expressed "pride in heritage, diversity, and friendliness, but stigma and negative perceptions persist. Residents want more positive promotion of Rotherham."

Natural Spaces scored an avaerage of 4.18 out of 7 and was the seen as the strongest asset where parks and countryside was highly valued, "with Clifton Park and Thrybergh often mentioned."

A raft of interventions have been pre-approved by the government which can address the issues from the consultation.

The council report said: "The allocation of funding will be informed by the built-up-area data provided by Government and consultation feedback. Interventions will be prioritised where they have collective benefits and meet the needs of the Geography as a whole."

Undertaking meaningful engagement with the local community is seen a central pillar of the funding and "Neighbourhood Boards" will work up a Regeneration Plan – in partnership with the local authority - to deliver the strategic objectives of the programme.

Rotherham's Regeneration Plan will be submitted to government by November 2025, following which the first tranche of funding will be released in April 2026, broken down to approximately £2m per year with a 75% / 25% split between Capital and Revenue.

The £20m fund is set to be discussed at the council's next Improving Places Select Commission.

Images: South Yorkshire Police / RMBC