Communities across England and Wales left isolated when their railways were closed are one step closer to having their connections restored, as part of the government’s Restoring Your Railway programme.

The Autumn Budget has confirmed that 13 more projects have been awarded up to £50,000 each to progress their plans to reinstate stations and restore lines.

More than 50 years since the railways were radically reshaped during the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, when thousands of miles of both track and stations were closed, this latest investment will kick-start development on more projects that have potential to reinvigorate local economies and level up opportunity across the country.

Projects awarded funding include:

• restoring the Don Valley Line between Sheffield and Stocksbridge in Yorkshire to regular passenger services
• reconnecting the Staffordshire town of Leek to the rail network with the Stoke-Leek line
• restarting the connection between Stockport and Ashton in the north-west
• rebuilding the line between Tavistock and Bere Alston in Devon, connecting Tavistock and Plymouth by rail
• Two projects from round one of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund are also being funded to progress with further development work: the Waterside line (Southampton to Fawley via Hythe) and Wellington and Cullompton Stations in Somerset and Devon respectively. Other projects are under consideration as the initial ideas development work is completed and assessed.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Our efforts to undo the damage of the Beeching closures are gathering pace, with work on new stations and lines that can level up communities right across the UK.

“I share the enthusiasm and ambition of local campaigners across the country pushing for their local lines to be reopened and this additional funding will help progress many more schemes.

“With the Dartmoor Line opening in the coming days, we’re already laying tracks across the country and connecting communities for the first time in decades.”