Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve (a) rail connections to Sheffield and (b) the tram network in that city in the next five years.

Improvements being considered are:

1. Subject to the industry approval process, in 2026, as part of the East Coast Mainline timetable, Northern will look to implement an hourly Leeds to Sheffield semi-fast service. Similarly, CrossCountry is working to add services on their Newcastle to Reading route in future timetables.

2. Responsibility for Sheffield Supertram sits with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA). SYMCA were allocated £570 million from 2022/23 to 2026/27 of City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements funding for investment in local transport improvements. SYMCA have prioritised part of this funding towards Sheffield Supertram renewals.

The recent Spending Review confirmed a Transport for City Regions (TCR) settlement of £1.5 billion for South Yorkshire from 2027/28 to 2031/32. SYMCA have indicated that they would allocate a significant amount of this funding to continue renewals to the tram network, providing a fleet of new, replacement vehicles, modernising tram stops, and maintenance to improve reliability.

Decisions on how both CRSTS and TCR funding is spent are made locally, reflecting the principle that Mayors are best placed to understand the needs of their areas.

My officials will continue to support SYMCA on any plans that they bring forward, including those involving light rail.