NORTHUMBERLAND LINE RUNS

S pecial rail services have taken place between Newcastle and Morpeth as plans to reintroduce passenger trains on the Northumberland Line gather pace. Northumberland County Council and Northern hosted the events which saw trains travel on part of the Northumberland Line – taking in the route that will see five of the six proposed new stations built by 2024. As well as the new stations – Northumberland Park, Seaton Delaval, Newsham, Blyth Bebside, Bedlington and Ashington – the Northumberland Line will also result in an upgrade of 18 miles of track to provide local communities with enhanced connectivity. The scheme, proposed by Northumberland County Council, has been made possible by the government’s Restoring Your Railway Fund, which offered development funding to explore options to restore lost rail services connections to communities. Earlier this year the Department for Transport provided £34 million towards detailed design and preparatory works which, subject to the Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) application being approved, will allow for the reintroduction of a regular rail passenger service between Ashington and central Newcastle, with several stops in between. The Northumberland Line, currently partially used by freight trains, aims to further stimulate and support economic growth, regeneration and community development in Northumberland and the surrounding regions by providing new and improved transport links for local people and businesses. By doing so, the scheme will improve access from towns such as Ashington and Blyth to employment hubs like Newcastle, as well as opening up new opportunities for leisure, education and travel. It will also provide a real incentive for potential employers to relocate to and invest in the local area. Cllr Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “The Northumberland Line will be a wonderful asset for local people and helps us take further steps to encourage people out of their cars and onto cleaner, more sustainable forms of transport. “The line will offer enhanced opportunities for education, employment and leisure for the people of the North East and enhances public transport connectivity, offering a seamless transfer onto Tyne and Wear Metro at Northumberland Park,” he said. Work on the Northumberland Line is expected to begin next year and Network Rail is now working on its own plans to upgrade the track and infrastructure. Matt Rice, Route Director for Network Rail in the North and East, said: “We’re really excited to be able to be part of to the eagerly anticipated reintroduction of passenger services on the Northumberland Line. “We’re confident that when the first passenger trains run in 2024 that they will be very well used by the local community, building on the significant contribution that freight services on the Northumberland Line already makes to our economy. “The project will provide more employment and leisure opportunities for people across South East Northumberland, and it will help to boost the economy and attract new investment into the area,” he said. NORTHUMBERLAND LINE RUNS RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2021 :: RMTnews 27 Bedlington bridge