'Frustration' in Bedlington and Blyth as they will have to wait until 2025 for railway return

While the new stations at Ashington and Seaton Delaval will be open to passengers from December 15, residents in Blyth and Bedlington will have to wait until 2025 for their stations to open. Newsham is set to open early in the year, but Bedlington and Blyth Bebside remain without a concrete opening date, along with Northumberland Park in North Tyneside.

The delays have been blamed on a number of factors including poor weather, complications with mine works and even the discovery of an unexploded bomb. However, Coun Malcolm Robinson, who represents the Bedlington West ward, felt it showed his town had been ignored.

He said: “It’s just another example. Years ago I used to hate it when people said Bedlington got ignored, but now I think it is plain to see.

“It’s not even a question anymore – it’s a statement of fact. It is just one thing after another.

“There is going to be a huge number of barrier closures a day at Bedlington Station without the freight trains. The barriers are going to be closed for several hours overall a day between 7am and 11pm – it’s going to split Bedlington Station in half.

“People in Bedlington will be stuck at the gates waving at the people on the train, and we haven’t got a train to get on. I really hope we’re going to see benefit from it.”

Former council leader Coun Jeff Reid, who represents Blyth’s Plessey ward, said the delays to the town’s two stations would be “disappointing” for residents. However, he remained sceptical of the impact the return of passenger rail would have on the area.

Coun Reid said: “I’m disappointed for the people who are looking forward to getting into Newcastle in about half an hour – but I am not surprised because these big projects always take longer and people are always optimistic about how long they will take. I would think we would learn from experience.

“These things always take far longer than predicted. I just think that perhaps somebody could have foreseen these delays, rather than having the disappointment of it not being there.

“It is better to under-promise and over-deliver so people feel it is good rather than getting annoyed. Some people are genuinely looking forward to it and think it will be an amazing asset, and it will increase job prospects – but I’m still not convinced.”

Responding to the frustration around the delays, the leader of Northumberland County Council Glen Sanderson said: “December 15 will mark a really incredibly important day for Northumberland. It has come after 60 years plus of people wanting to restore a passenger train line, but actually for various reasons deciding they can’t.

“It has taken a lot of courage and a significant amount of money to make this happen, but that has been our driver as an administration – to get this job done for the betterment of south east Northumberland and the county as a whole.

“Obviously, in such a hugely complex environment there is bound to be some issues – and there has been very few challenges we haven’t faced. We have had the wettest winter in 200 years, engineering challenges, unmapped mine works and more.

“It has been a huge undertaking. What I can say is bear with us – we are working as fast as we can. These stations will be open within months.”

On scepticism about the benefits of the scheme, Coun Sanderson continued: “I think everyone has a right to feel sceptical about any project – but if you can provide an alternative to people getting stuck in traffic jams in Newcastle; that’s really good value for money; runs very frequently and saves a huge amount of carbon, it’s only right people should be offered it as an option.

“My personal feeling and the advice we have had is that it will be used and it will be popular. People are with us on this, they’re looking forward to it.

“It is just moving Northumberland further into an exciting future.”