Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council provides public transport wishlist to North East Mayor

The local authority has published its response to the recent North East Combined Authority (NECA) Local Transport Plan consultation for what it can do in the years ahead, stressing that improvements are needed because it believes “the current level of public transport and safe active travel routes is poor”.

One of the sections is buses, with a call to have a “proper, regular rural bus service to neighbouring villages both sides of the border” and “more extensive service within the town”.

As Berwick is in a unique position nationally with its main bus provider being a Scottish-based company (Borders Buses), the council would like to see cross border collaboration between NECA and its Scottish counterparts to ensure a reliable integrated service.

It added: “Bus use in the area is not high and this is often used to justify the lack of service, but we at BTC would argue the lack of provision drives the public into car use.”

When it comes to rail, the town council wants “a local service between Newcastle and Edinburgh – this service would allow visitors to explore Northumberland and the Borders by rail, as well as Berwick residents access Newcastle and Edinburgh beyond the early evening”.

It also hopes the NECA will support its call for no reduction in direct services between Berwick and London by LNER, and no reduction in service between Berwick and Edinburgh by any operators.

The wishlist for the section called ‘Safe Active Travel’ includes the following: “An increased level of transport spending being diverted to active travel for infrastructure.

“Safe separated cycle paths within and to the town from residential areas, especially to schools to encourage greater bike use.

“Coastal paths and the new Tweed Trail to have safe linking routes into the town.”

The final section, ‘Parking Provision’, calls for the NECA’s support in ensuring a full review of parking is carried out by Northumberland County Council as promised.

It also includes “a review of EV charging points to ensure the network is comprehensive enough to promote the use of cleaner energy cars” and “the potential creation of a park and ride with the aim to alleviate town centre congestion”.