A new train service is to be introduced from Sheffield and Chesterfield to Belper to help meet the continued demand for rail journeys from the town. 
 
This new service will provide a direct evening return journey from Sheffield and Chesterfield to Belper providing better options for commuters, students and other travellers.  This new service will operate on weekdays from Monday 19 May, departing Sheffield 1738, Chesterfield 1756 arriving at Belper at 1809.  This train will then continue to London St Pancras calling at Derby, Loughborough and Leicester en route.  This new evening service provides a return option for passengers using the 0728 service from Belper to Chesterfield and Sheffield.
 
New cheaper advance fares are also being introduced to complement the introduction of this new train service.  Advance tickets are now available costing from £10 to Chesterfield and £11 to Sheffield return and are available for travel from Monday 19 May. 
 
This latest improvement to rail services in Belper follows another significant increase in rail passenger journeys.  A 9% increase in passenger journeys at Belper in 2013/14 form part of a 144% increase in passengers since 2007/8. Elsewhere on the Derwent Valley Line there have also been good passenger increases of 10% at Cromford, 8% at Matlock Bath, 6% at Matlock and 4% at Ambergate. 
 
Councillor Irene Ratcliffe, Chair of the Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership said:  “I am extremely pleased that East Midlands Trains has agreed to provide this evening train service for Belper.  I would like to thank Friends of the Derwent Valley Line for the considerable work done by them and other local groups to achieve this new service for the residents of Belper”.
 
Neil Micklethwaite, Customer Service & Commercial Director for East Midlands Trains, said: “We know that our passengers and stakeholders in Belper have held aspirations of having a return evening service from Sheffield.  As part of our timetable improvement process, we regularly seek feedback and views on how we can develop our timetable and we know this will be a welcome improvement for our passengers. We’re really pleased to be introducing this new service which will complement the excellent train service already offered between Belper, Derby and Nottingham and will open up more opportunity for commuters and leisure travellers alike.”