Media centre

Monday 11 Oct 2010

PASSENGER NUMBERS IN SHEFFIELD SET TO SOAR

Region & Route:

The number of passengers using rail in Sheffield is set to soar over the next ten and twenty years, according to a new report published today by Network Rail. 

A 35% rise by 2019 could see hundreds of thousands more people a year arriving in Sheffield at peak times, according to the operator and maintainer of Britain’s rail network.

The report makes a series of recommendations for targeted investment in the railways of the north which are needed to cope with the extra passengers and will support sustainable economic growth.

The report, the draft Northern Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS), looks at rail usage over the next ten to twenty years and recommends how best to cope with the extra passengers and freight.

Network Rail’s director of planning and development, Paul Plummer, said:

“Rail in the north is a major success story – but this brings its own challenges, as our draft route utilisation strategy sets out. 

“The railways of South Yorkshire are nearly full and our report shows that many more people will be travelling on trains in the north in ten and twenty years time.

“Infrastructure investment is key to sustainable economic growth. 

“With businesses and commuters in the north relying on rail and so many more people choosing to travel by train, continued investment in rail in the north is a necessity, not a luxury.”

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce’s chair, Anita Brough, said:

“Sheffield Chamber of Commerce welcomes the publication of the planning document the draft Northern Route Utilisation Strategy, which addresses many of the issues critical to the prosperity and growth of Sheffield and its city region.

“The recent announcement to route the high speed rail network through South Yorkshire was very welcome and we are confident it will show a massive return on the investment but we must not forget that the high speed link needs to be one part of a comprehensive network.

“The high speed link will not be completed for 15 to 20 years and investment is needed on a continuing basis through that period or the economy of the region will suffer.

“Sheffield is a trading city and connectivity east to west, north to south and city to city, with the ability to move goods and services quickly and reliably, is critical to its success.”

The number of passengers travelling into between the major towns and cities of the North is predicted in the RUS to grow significantly over the next ten and twenty years. 

The growth at peak times could be as high as:

City

2014

2019

2024

2029

Leeds

20%

42%

53%

68%

Liverpool

13%

32%

46%

63%

Manchester

21%

44%

57%

72%

Newcastle

21%

37%

49%

62%

Sheffield

15%

35%

48%

62%

Network Rail is proposing a number of projects to help meet this demand, including:

• The Northern Hub – which would allow 3.5million more passengers to travel across the North every year.
• New platforms at Leeds, Huddersfield and Manchester Airport stations.
• Upgrading the freight lines between Immingham, Scunthorpe and Knottingley.
• A rolling programme of electrification including the Midland Mainline between Sheffield and London St Pancras International

Network Rail is consulting on the RUS and will publish a final version in May next year.