Barnsley Central and South Yorkshire Mayor Dan Jarvis is committed to restoring the railway line between Barnsley and Wakefield via Royston, as part of the Department for Transport Restore Your Railway Fund.
Commenting, Dan Jarvis said:
“Whilst it was disappointing that this bid did not receive support from the Government in the June funding round, I have held productive conversations with Barnsley Council and the Sheffield City Region Transport Team about the Royston rail bid being resubmitted ahead of the next round of funding in November.
“This bid – which would restore rail connectivity between the north of Barnsley and West Yorkshire – will have potentially transformative regeneration opportunities for the villages of Royston, Carlton and Lundwood and significantly improve our borough’s rail connectivity. It is the missing piece of the jigsaw in enabling residents to access affordable and reliable rail services for work, study and leisure.
“I will continue to work closely with Barnsley Council and key strategic partners in the region to re-open the Royston rail line.”
Commenting, Royston Ward Councillor Caroline Makinson said:
“This line being reopened would make a huge difference to the villages of Royston and Carlton, enabling commuters to travel much more quickly to Wakefield and on to Leeds.
“The lack of a railway link has been a long-running issue in the local community and this bid, if approved, would unlock fresh opportunities for investment and regeneration for the Ward.
“I’ll be working closely with Dan and the Ward Alliance to continue to campaign for the reopening of this line.”
Commenting, BMBC Cabinet Member for Culture and Regeneration, and Royston Ward Councillor Tim Cheetham said:
“We’re keen on restoring the Royston rail line here in Barnsley. It’s a great opportunity that will help to get cars off the road and reduce our carbon emissions, protecting our borough for future generations.
“The rail line will also open up economic opportunities for our local residents and will support our long-term plans to stimulate the growth of more and better jobs and homes.
“I’ll continue to work with our partners to support our bid in November.”
Notes for Editors
- Dan Jarvis has made promoting sustainability and tackling the climate emergency a top priority of his work as South Yorkshire Mayor – working to build a public transport system that is fit for the 21st Century and sustainable; declaring a climate emergency in the City Region and putting sustainability at the heart of our region’s future plans; and appointing the inaugural South Yorkshire Active Travel Commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey, to lead on enabling more people to walk, cycle and run where they possibly can.
- In November 2019, Mayor Jarvis declared a climate emergency in the City Region with the aim of reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality and engendering a greater level of modal shift away from cars and towards public and active transport.