Work on constructing a new stop on the South Yorkshire Supertram Tram-Train route to Rotherham Parkgate is set to start in February 2025 with it being ready for opening in November 2025. Confirmation of a start date for work has come after the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) revealed there has been a small increase in costs connected to the project.
Original approval for the scheme had been given in February 2024 at which point the delivery phase had a budget of £6,859,649. But after delays in the signing of an Implementation Agreement between the SYMCA and Network Rail (the latter who will be undertaking the construction of the stop on behalf of the former) there has been an increase in costs by £214,892 to a total of £7,074,541. Despite this increase the project will still go-ahead and the signing of the agreement is imminent.
The increased costs have been attributed to:
- Increase in AMCO (principal contractor) contract price, driven by inflation
- Increase in design costs for design management and temporary works
- The increased AMCO price has in turn increased the values for the Network Rail and Industry Risk fees as these are calculated using a ready reckoner that takes the contractors costs into account
The signing of the Implementation Agreement was delayed by a number of reasons including confirmation of the terms and conditions of the agreement, specifically in relation to the proposed lease of the new station and delays associated with obtaining the necessary railway consents required to implement the build of the stop.
To avoid any further delays, and additional costs, and to keep to the revised delivery programme, Network Rail were about to enter into contract with AMCO by the end of January 2025. If all goes according to plan this will then allow the first works to take place on the site of the new stop during February 2025.
The stop at Magna will be the first new stop built on the Tram-Train route since it opened to the public in 2018. It will be served by the Tram-Train service to and from Rotherham Parkgate and is located between Tinsley South Junction (where the branch leaves the Meadowhall line) and Rotherham Central.
Over £7,000,000?
Back in the day it would have been two posts with stop flags – and maybe a shelter!
£7m quid to build a Tram stop. This is why this country is in a state. I bet it didn’t cost that to build Norbreck North! I’d love to see a breakdown of costs.
Very different to Norbreck or any other tramway stop.
Don’t forget this is the Tram-Train route on Network Rail lines so has to be built to National Rail standards and under NR safety standards.
It will include changes to the signalling – that line is fully track-circuited so has to allow for trams stopping in section where a regular train would not be expected to stop. Can’t see it mentioned but probably segregated pedestrian crossing from one side to the other (footbridge or underpass)
Construction will at some points require a full line closure, so the bill will include compensation payments to other affected operators.
A better comparison would be to the £15m Scot Rail spent on the new East Linton Station. https://busandtrainuser.com/2023/12/16/two-new-stations-open-for-business-part-2/
or the £26.m budget WYCA has already overspent for the not yet opened White Rose Station.
Too late for this year’s beer festival