The government has rejected a proposal for a £300m rail link connecting Doncaster Sheffield Airport to the East Coast mainline, stating it 'would not offer value for money'. The plan involved 4.5 miles (7.2km) of new track and was backed by claims it would create 72,000 jobs and bring £3.2bn to South Yorkshire.
The Department for Transport (DfT) cited 'significant concerns' over passenger forecasts, though the airport said it had already exceeded the DfT's estimates with 1.4m passengers in 2019. An airport spokesperson expressed confusion over which forecasts were used, calling them 'out of date and inaccurate'.
Backers argued the link would more than treble the number of people within a 90-minute rail journey to 8.8m. The DfT, however, said it is focusing on projects that 'bring significant benefits' and 'boost the economy'.
The airport described the scheme as part of a wider plan to develop a 1,600-acre 'employment district'. The proposal had support from the Mayor of Sheffield City Region, Doncaster Council, and the airport's owners Peel Holdings.
