Connectivity
Air
The international airport – Robin Hood Airport Doncaster – features a two mile long runway, making it one of only a handful in the UK capable of hosting long haul and freight plane services; Manchester International Airport has over 20 million people pass through it each year. Just an hour away by train, and one and a half hours by car, it provides a range of flights to and from domestic, European and international destinations; Leeds Bradford Airport is closer still, with links to over 20 destinations.
Road
South Yorkshire has ready access to the nation’s major transport arteries. The M1 runs North to South from Leeds to London. The A1(M) connects to Edinburgh, via Newcastle. The M18 links, via the M62 and M180, to the three East coast deep-water ports and short shipping routes to Europe from Hull, Grimsby and Immingham. To the West, the M62 connects to Manchester and Liverpool.
Rail
South Yorkshire’s rail network caters for both passenger travel and freight transport.
The journey from Doncaster to London takes just 90 minutes. There are further direct routes to Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, South Wales and the South West. The East Coast mainline connects to the Channel Tunnel to Paris. The TransPennine line joins South Yorkshire’s major conurbations with Manchester Airport.
Shipping
The rail and road networks connect to the East Coast ports of Goole, Grimsby, Hull and Immingham. The ports are one of Europe’s leading trade arteries, handling up to 60 million tonnes of goods and registering 400,000 vessel movements each year. There are regular shipping routes to worldwide destinations such as Canada, China, Iceland and the Far East. Berths for vessels and facilities total 100 including roll-on, roll-off terminals, container terminals, general cargo and dry or liquid bulk facilities.
