History
Stocksbridge resident David Goodison first conceived the idea of rehabilitating the line in 2003, and local authorities, politicians, and community groups have since voiced their support. The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) included the proposal as a potential re-opened route in its 2009 Rail Strategy & Delivery Plan, noting the ongoing investigation of the plan's feasibility, and that the executive had been lending support and advice for the project. In early 2010, SYPTE reaffirmed its support for the project, contributing funds toward professional assessment of the business plan to re-open the line and the feasibility of the line itself; additional funding for the assessment was to be provided by Sheffield City Council and private supporters.
The railway project received a boost in late June 2010 when a feasibility study draft indicated that the cost to develop a weekday commuter service along the route would be several times lower than initially estimated. A local government official supportive of the project cited reduced traffic as a primary benefit, leading to shorter commutes and a smaller regional carbon footprint. However, the same official admitted that raising capital for the project remained difficult in the economic environment of mid-2010.
Read more about this topic: Don Valley Railway
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