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Rotherham Gateway Outline Business Case

Comparatively poor rail connectivity has held Rotherham back. The existing railway station is on a branch line with a limited range of direct destinations mostly served hourly by slower local services. However, legacy industrial sites around the town are being reclaimed for new jobs and homes. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council identified an opportunity around Forge Way for a new railway station on the main line that bypasses the existing station. They reached out to our team to outline a business case.

We developed the outline business case with input from Network Rail, Northern Rail, and Transport for the North to show how the proposed scheme for Rotherham Gateway can help transform Rotherham¡¯s connectivity and economy. Projected to deliver a significant improvement to the local economy and support wider regeneration, the new station will provide faster and direct connectivity to places like Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, and London. As well as the new main line platforms, the scheme also consists of a comprehensive mixed-use land strategy and integrated transport hub, including a tram train stop, car park, bus interchange, and active travel opportunities.

We structured the outline business case around five key areas: strategic, economic, financial, commercial, and management. These sections present an analysis of the options, opportunities, and benefits that the scheme will bring to Rotherham and the surrounding region.

Our analysis showed that the economic benefits of the scheme include the creation of more than 1,000 new jobs and in excess of??100 million in gross value added over 60 years. From an environmental standpoint, the new station would provide an effective public transport alternative to private car use, improving air quality and lowering emissions. We also found that Rotherham Gateway will anchor regeneration and act as a catalyst to transform the borough.

After securing a commitment from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority in spring 2025 to fund the next stage of the project¡¯s development, the Council submitted the outline business case to the Department for Transport in summer 2025 to secure release of this funding.