Rail campaigner calls for investment in Northumberland services amid Leamside Line reopening hopes
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted that the reopening of the mothballed Leamside Line is “really important” and vowed to help ensure the case for its restoration stacks up.
Backing for the long-debated vision to bring back train services to the disused route through Gateshead, Sunderland, and County Durham formed part of the Government’s landmark Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) commitment.
The region’s leaders have been campaigning for years to rebuild the Leamside Line to return rail links to towns left disconnected since the 1960s and free up extra space on the congested East Coast Main Line, including between Newcastle and Berwick.
Speaking on a visit to Darlington, Ms Reeves insisted that the North East would see real benefit from NPR, which will start with upgrades to rail lines in Yorkshire before the later development of routes between Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds.
She said: “We have been working with [North East mayor] Kim McGuinness on what we can do to put further investment into the North East and transport here, which is why we have put our backing for this work on the Leamside Line in County Durham. That is really important to us, we know the growth potential it has.
“Of course it has to be subject to feasibility and analysis, but you also know that we have changed the way that the Treasury looks at the value of investments because of the reforms to the Green Book. The onus is on us now to work with Kim and get a business case that can stack up. But I really want to do that, I can see the benefits it will bring.”
The multibillion-pound package of NPR improvements is expected to be delivered through the 2030s, with an initial £1.1 billion having been set aside for design and preparatory works.
But Dennis Fancett, chair of the South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG), said that the NPR announcement seemed “to be more about the Leeds-Manchester Powerhouse” and called for a reinstatement of services to areas “starved of investment” that have lost out in recent timetable changes.
Mr Fancett added: “I think the mayor is pretty committed to the Leamside Line, but I think we have too many feasibility studies before we crack on and do things. There are things we also want to see north of Newcastle — Ashington to Newbiggin, Morpeth to Bedlington. We need a local service between Berwick and Newcastle every hour, calling at every station.”
The North East Public Transport Users Group welcomed the NPR announcement.
A spokesperson said: “The Leamside also offers a vital diversion route from the busy East Coast Mainline, allowing more freight and stopping trains, and giving an alternative during disruption. We hope planning and construction progresses quickly.”