Bedlington Station gets the final green light for opening on Northumberland Line
Bedlington Station has received the final approval needed for trains to call.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the rail regulator, has authorised Bedlington Station - the final station to reopen as part of the Northumberland Line - ahead of its planned opening to passengers on Sunday 29 March.
ORR’s authorisation covers the station’s two new platforms and associated features, including passenger information systems, help points, lighting, CCTV and ticketing facilities. The station also includes a new car park.
The regulator's authorisation is a key milestone in getting new, upgraded, or renewed infrastructure, such as at Bedlington station, ready to open. It also confirms that standards on areas like health and safety, accessibility, environmental protection, reliability and availability have been met.
ORR has worked closely with Network Rail, Northern, and the wider project team through the authorisation process, ensuring that important checks and surveys were carried out.
Steve Fletcher, deputy director, Engineering and Asset Management at ORR, said: “This is an important final step in getting the whole Northumberland line open, and we look forward to passengers experiencing the full benefits of Bedlington station and the fully reopened line soon.
“We’re pleased to have played our part in getting Bedlington station ready to open. Our team worked closely Network Rail and Northern to support them through the authorisation process, just as we do for new trains and infrastructure across the country.”
The first train is at 8.28am, travelling to Ashington, and the first train to Newcastle is at 8.43am.