CONNECTIVITY
South Yorkshire is at the heart of the UK and offers investors a high-quality cost-effective location that is super-connected locally, nationally and globally. We offer an easy location to serve your customers from, as well as an easy, not to mention exciting, place for your staff to live and work in.
We’re Locally Connected
Not only do we have a local bus, tram, train and the UK’s first tram-train network already in place which means that travel within the region is easy to do, but we are looking to make it even better!
As a region that is always looking to the future, our Transport Strategy will ensure that residents, and visitors, will be able to travel easily, quickly and safely within the region. Whether for a commute to work or for leisure activities, we aim to make getting around even easier for everyone.
We’re Nationally Connected
By Road: Located in the heart of the UK, South Yorkshire is easily accessible on the UK’s motorways which have low congestion and cover key routes across the UK and the North of England. Within a short drive of other major cities such as Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, it’s a perfect place to locate a business with easy access to what the North has to offer as well as the region itself.
We’ve also got 60% of UK’s manufacturing industry within a 2.5 hour drive away and 75% of the UK can be reached within a 4.5 hour drive.
By Rail: London is only 90 minutes from the South Yorkshire by train and this will be shortened further when Sheffield is connected by High-speed rail – also improving connectivity with neighbouring cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. We have two Passenger Rail networks serving the region: The East Coast Mainline linking London to Edinburgh crosses the region and the Midland’s Mainline joins Sheffield to London.
These links will be improved even further on the back of the recently launched Integrated Rail Plan which will help to ensure connectivity by rail for South Yorkshire across the North as well as the UK.
We’re Globally Connected
By Air: South Yorkshire is less than 90 minutes away from five more airports that serve North America, Canada, Europe and the Middle and Far East.
By Rail: South Yorkshire’s central location has led to its growth as a logistics centre. All main UK Sea ports are within seven hours (Humber and Teesport – just 2 hours). Dedicated intermodal rail freight services from two state-of the art inland strategic interchanges at Doncaster, provide easy access to Europe and beyond!
By Sea: All main UK sea ports are within a 5-hour drive of South Yorkshire. To the East and the West, the sea ports of Humber and Liverpool are within easy reach of the region. Liverpool primarily serves America, while the east coast ports of Hull, Immingham, Felixstowe, Port of Tyne and Thames Gateway serve Europe and the rest of the world. Daily ferry services run to Europe, including Rotterdam from nearby Hull.
Want to connect with us and find out about opportunities in the region? Get in touch