Sheffield hopes for high-speed rail link

Just 80 minutes on a train could plug local businesses into major markets

What does the plan involve?

Yorkshire transport leaders are meeting to discuss investing in a new high-speed rail link between Sheffield and London. The creation of a station to the east of the city centre will also be on the table in the hope that a new stop would avoid disrupting the existing network and help reduce journey times to and from London to just 80 minutes. Potential locations for the site include Attercliffe, Tinsley and Meadowhall.

Why is this important?

A high-speed line serving both South and, ideally, West Yorkshire would, at a stroke, plug the area’s businesses into the economy of London and the South-east, and the European markets beyond. It would benefit the whole country as well as our region.

How does this fit in with planned national infrastructure?

The government is already planning to create a high-speed corridor between London and Birmingham, with plans to extend the line either to the North East or the North West. South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) is part of a consortium pressing for the high-speed line between Heathrow, St Pancras and a site near Birmingham Airport.

When might this happen?

The government is expected to unveil a formal proposal in 2010, although construction is unlikely to start before 2015.