Coppard said: “After decades of national underinvestment in our transport network, we’re having to wait longer for vital rail improvements that would create jobs, opportunities and economic growth.
“We were told HS2 would come to Sheffield. That was cancelled.
“Now electrification of Midland Mainline is being paused. All we’re asking for is a fair deal.”
Andrew Dyson, vice chair of the Yorkshire branch of RailFuture, which campaigns for better services, said the news was “incredibly disappointing” as electrification had been “on and off for so many years”.
He said: “They’ve actually got electrification now as far as just south of Leicester, and they’re not going to complete the final 50 miles.
“They say that it’s paused but there is no firm date for it restarting, so in effect it’s almost cancelled.”