Cable theft costs passengers 213 hours in delays

Cable thefts on railway lines between Doncaster and Sheffield have delayed passengers by more than 213 hours in the past year, figures show.

Passengers on services between the two South Yorkshire cities, which also passes through Rotherham, often see services cancelled or severely delayed as a result of the thefts.

Network Rail is publicly funded, meaning each theft is an additional cost to the taxpayer to repair.

The company said thefts had rise in line with an increase in copper prices, and that it was "working closely" with British Transport Police to catch and prosecute offenders.

According to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, there had been 50 incidents of railway cable theft between Doncaster and Sheffield in the last five years, including 16 in 2025/26 alone.

The total delay in the 12 months to February 2026, linked directly to cable thefts, reached 12,809 minutes – or roughly 213.5 hours, the Local Democracy Service reports.

A Network Rail spokesperson said in 2025 alone, crime incidents on the North and East route cost the company over £1.3 million.

It said it was employing a range of strategies to catch offenders, including the use of drones and security cameras, and by forensically marking assets.

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