The Hope Valley Railway Upgrade scheme has been completed, the new route set to offer faster journeys between Manchester and Sheffield.
Rail minister Huw Merriman visited Dore & Totley station [Monday 8 April] to mark the completion of the £150m Hope Valley Railway Upgrade.
Beginning spring 2021, the scheme has delivered various upgrades across the stretch of track including a new 1 km railway loop installed between Bamford and Hathersage, allowing faster services to overtake slower trains relieving an historic bottleneck.
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Additional track has also been installed to the South of Dore & Totley station to relieve a longstanding freight train bottleneck.
Work undertaken on the recent closure of the line from 16-25 March saw track installation and drainage works finalised, alongside the final work at Dore & Totley station.
During this time, passengers were kept moving through alternative travel plans.
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Rail minister Huw Merriman said: “I am delighted to be in Sheffield today to mark the completion of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade – another project delivered which demonstrates our continued commitment to improving transport in the North of England.
“This Government funded scheme means passengers will now benefit from improved reliability and accessibility when travelling between Sheffield and Manchester.
“The upgrade is just one of hundreds we’re delivering, with more to come as part of our Network North plan made possible by reallocated HS2 funding – carrying out even further upgrades on this vital line, including electrification, to cut journey times and improve capacity for thousands of passengers.”
Achievements and innovations in rail and transport planning will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
