Government confirms plans for railway station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport but it hangs in the balance

Plans to build a new train station at Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) as part of a new rail link between the airport and the Lincoln to Sheffield line, have been approved by the Department of Transport (DfT).

The proposal will see platforms which could be as long as 150 metres which would accommodate large passenger trains.

Spades could hit the ground in as little as two years but the project is reliant on a strong business case submitted by SYMCA.

But the plans are likely to hit the buffers due to the surrounding uncertainty over the future of the airport. Owners Peel say the site is ‘commercially unviable’ and could close the terminal and runway in the near future.

Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher said it was ‘good news’ but the station plans would be ‘effectively meaningless’ if the airport does close.

The spur running close to the airport terminal will mean direct trains from Sheffield and smaller stations along the Lincoln line will reach the airport directly.

Those travelling along the East Coast Main Line (ECML) will have to change at Doncaster.

It’s understood a second link from the ECML could follow.

A railway line to the airport from both the ECML and the Sheffield to Lincoln line with a dedicated station has been on the cards for many years and costs are said to be around £200 million, but the investment is thought to be a catalyst for regeneration as well as enticing more airlines to fly from there.

Back in February 2020, former aviation minister Paul Maynard, visited airport bosses and key figures to view plans for a £10 million terminal expansion and ambitions for a railway station and new line linking the East Coast Mainline and the Doncaster/Lincoln line.

Airport bosses previously said the railway station and 4.5 mile track scheme is ‘shovel ready’ and takes just five years to deliver with no impact to existing homes and businesses.

The rail plan would also ‘significantly extend’ the airport’s public transport catchment area to circa nine million people within a 90-minute travel time, equivalent to the catchment of Manchester Airport, while ‘utilising existing runway capacity capable of handling 25 million passengers’.

Mr Fletcher said: “Not many airports have rail links but those that do have a massive advantage over those who don’t. London. Birmingham. Manchester. All successful airports. Now Doncaster has a rail link approved, it opens up a whole new market to the airport.

Not everyone wants to drive. However if there is no train link then you might rule out those airports straight away. People want to be as environmentally friendly as they can and rail is a fantastic option in this regard.”

A DfT spokesperson said: “We’ve allocated South Yorkshire £570 million as part of our ambitious plan to level up transport across the country towards London standards by 2030.

“This plan submitted by South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is subject to business case approval by the Department to ensure it is viable and offers value for the taxpayer."