Northern plans improvement to Sunday services as 250,000 milestone reached on the new Northumberland Line

The line between Ashington and Newcastle reopened for the first time in 60 years in December.

Almost 27,000 journeys were recorded during the busiest week (March 23 to March 30). That included more than 8,000 trips that were made on the day Newcastle United celebrated their Carabao Cup win with an open top bus tour.

Ticket vending machines at the new stations have been in high demand, particularly during weekends and school holidays. As a result, staff are being sent to restock the machine in Ashington twice a week.

Customers, who are required to buy a ticket before they board, are being reminded they can avoid waiting in line by purchasing them on the Northern website or app.

They can also buy Pop Pay As You Go (PAYG) cards, which allow them to tap in and out when they switch between Northumberland Line trains and Tyne and Wear Metro services.

Paul Henry, programme manager for the Northumberland Line, said: “We’re delighted to have hit this milestone as it shows that people are making the most of these new services.

“It’s great to see the line is already having such a positive impact on the area, allowing locals to access a range of new opportunities on fast and affordable services.

“The vast majority do the right thing and buy tickets before they board, but we don’t want anyone to miss their train because they are getting caught in a queue for a ticket."

Northern is closely monitoring journeys on this new line throughout the week to build a better understanding of travel patterns and recently announced it is planning to ensure all Sunday services will have four carriages by July 2025.

Stuart McNaughton, head of strategic transport and climate change at Northumberland County Council, said: "This marks a landmark for the line and we'd like to thank everyone who has used this fantastic new service over the past four months.

"The Northumberland Line is creating a whole range of new opportunities, from education to employment and tourism, and the journey figures reflect how important the line is for many people.

"Work is continuing at pace on the remaining stations and we look forward to even greater passenger numbers over the coming months."

The rail line, which had only been used by freight trains since the 1960s, opened to passengers on December 15 thanks to a £298.5 million project involving the Department for Transport, Network Rail, Northumberland County Council and Northern.

Northern is now running two daytime services an hour on the Northumberland Line from Monday to Saturday and one train per hour in the evenings and on Sundays​.

The maximum peak-time single fare – for the trip from Newcastle to Ashington – is £3 and a return trip costs £6. An off-peak single for the same journey is £2.60 and a return is £5.20.

Posters at each of the stations remind passengers they can be issued with a £100 penalty fare if they do not buy a valid ticket before they board.

Stations in Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park are under construction and due to open to customers later this year.