A FRESH approach to improving commuting links in and out of Barnsley via its rail network will be revealed to the public in the summer.
A formal adoption date of June 25 has been set for the Barnsley Rail Strategy, which has been created as a response to long-held calls for better services for commuters.
Transport bosses believe unreliable services have had a knock-on impact on businesses, as well as reducing patronage levels due to a lack of confidence.
The Chronicle understands a raft of measures will be included in the strategy, such as improvements to stations and their access and exploring more routes to new destinations.
Leaders behind the scheme believe Barnsley’s location in between Leeds and Sheffield, as well as having the ability to reintegrate freight-only tracks leave the town well-suited for improvements.
A report said: “The borough currently benefits from having several stations on routes between Sheffield and Leeds as well as between Sheffield and Huddersfield.
“A package of enhancements at these stations will encourage rail travel which supports more frequent services, new rolling stock and line speed improvements.
“There are a number of major rail routes that pass through the borough.
“However, Barnsley-wide connectivity is fragmented, in particular there is currently no connection from the Dearne Valley stations and the East Coast Main Line heading south towards Doncaster.
“Mitigating this lack of local and regional connectivity by way of targeted strategic and local connections needs to be given priority in order to secure and sustain delivery of the economic and housing growth potential of the Dearne Valley.
“In order to offer a well-connected Barnsley and South Yorkshire, opportunities exist to deploy disused rail infrastructure to support both passengers and freight.
“Additionally, there are also locations on the network that may benefit from having previous lines reinstated.
“For example, connections between the northern section of the Dearne Valley Line and Mexborough and the connection between Penistone and Deepcar could support local, regional and sub-national connectivity as well as network efficiencies.
“Working with Network Rail to identify other opportunities to develop enhancements will allow a co-ordinated approach to renewals and delivering enhancements taking cognisance of the rail vision and additional third-party funding sources which may be available.”
Punctuality rates of services arriving at Barnsley’s ten stations has recently drawn criticism, with an average of 74 per cent of the town’s entire services not arriving on time.
Plans for a landmark bill to re-work railways - including setting up a ‘powerful’, passenger-led watchdog to give commuters a voice and hold train operators to account - were unveiled by the government last month and are now going through a consultation phase.
The ‘once-in-a-generation overhaul’ will establish Great British Railways (GBR), a new body which is aiming to deliver reliable services and hold operators to account.
Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways said: “Rail is an integral part of Barnsley’s vision of building a public transport system that’s fit for the future and supports our exciting plans for driving economic growth.
“We will be playing our part, in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayor and national government, to make that a reality.( “We’re currently finalising our new Barnsley Rail Strategy which will be published before the end of June.
“This will set the blueprint for how our vision will be achieved in the coming years and give us clear evidence to push for the investment that Barnsley needs.
“The strategy will include a range of projects and interventions across Barnsley’s three rail corridors - the Hallam Line, Wakefield and Dearne Valley Line and Penistone Line to ensure that the benefits and opportunities are spread right across the borough.”
