The North East says: “We need the Leamside Line re-opened.”

Written by

Cross-party MPs, local politicians and business leaders came together today (Friday 4 February) at multiple locations along the Leamside Line to make the case for its reopening.

Reopening the disused line is a key priority for the region because of the economic, social, and environmental benefits it would bring. The rail route – a 21 mile stretch from Gateshead, through South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham but closed since 1992 – runs through numerous areas where new jobs and housing could be stimulated by new stations, as well as taking hundreds of cars each day off some the region’s main commuter roads – improving city centre air quality and decarbonising transport.

The line’s reopening is strongly supported by the region’s political and business leaders.

Paul Howell MP for Sedgefield, Sharon Hodgson MP for Washington and Sunderland West, and Liz Twist MP for Blaydon met with Cllr Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport and Leader of Gateshead Council alongside other supporters from the North East Chamber of Commerce, North East Local Enterprise Partnership, Transport for the North, Northern Powerhouse Partnership, Nexus and Transport North East, at three strategic points on the line – Follingsby, Washington and Ferryhill.

The visit enabled the group to get a closer look at what scheme delivery in the future would look like.

This follows a recent announcement that work is to begin on a business for extending the Tyne and Wear Metro, using the Leamside Line, to Washington. This move by the Joint Transport Committee was warmly welcomed by people in Sunderland and the wider region.

Future work will also include studies into passenger services through County Durham to a reopened Ferryhill station, and the use of the line for freight; all of the studies will shortly be combined into a single comprehensive plan which maximises the benefits to the North East. This work will feature in a report to the Joint Transport Committee later this year.

Cllr Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “The Leamside Line is one of our top priorities and its reopening would change the socio-economic future of the North East. We need the Leamside Line reopened and our political and business communities are absolutely united on this. I’m delighted see such strong support today from some of the line’s most vocal supporters.

“Places like Follingsby, Washington and Ferryhill are crying out for direct rail connectivity, and we must continue to call for investment in this critical piece of railway infrastructure. Leamside has the potential to be game-changing – let’s make it a reality for the people of the North East.”

Sharon Hodgson MP, an avid supporter of the Leamside Line, continues to make the case for reopening and presented an online petition to Government last year on the issue. Mrs Hodgson has successfully secured a debate in Parliament on the ‘Potential merits of reopening the Leamside Line’ which has been scheduled for Tuesday 8 February 2022 at 2.30pm in Westminster Hall.

Mrs Hodgson, said: “Washington is the fourth largest town in the UK without a direct rail link and it’s gone on for long enough. There is overwhelming support across business, political and local communities to get things moving and I want to see this happen. I look forward to putting forward our region’s strong strategic case in the Westminster Hall debate next week.”

Paul Howell MP, is a long-time supporter of the line and recently wrote to the new Rail Minister (with Sharon Hodgson MP) to outline reasons for its reopening.

Mr Howell, said: “The Leamside Line would be truly transformational for the North East and we continue to make the case to reopen the line, connecting communities such as Ferryhill to the Local and National rail network. Leamside will solve the capacity constraints we face on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and I will continue to push for it to be developed.”

Lesley Moody, OBE, President, North East England Chamber of Commerce said: “Re-opening the Leamside Line would improve rail journeys for 1,000s of passengers each day and create more much-needed capacity to move both passengers and goods by rail across the North East. It’s essential to see investment in our rail connections as this infrastructure has such a key part to play if we are to be levelled up in any meaningful sense.”

Lucy Winskell OBE, Chair of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “We strongly support the ambition to reopen the Leamside Line. The reintroduction of passenger services along this line would not only open up vital transport links for communities in the surrounding areas and give increased access to employment and leisure opportunities, it is also part of a wider solution to speed up journey times on the East Coast Main Line, linking the North East to the rest of the UK rail network. It could also lead to a significant reduction in car trips on the surrounding highway network which would have positive environmental benefits.”

Henri Murison, Director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “Reopening the Leamside Line is not just critical for connectivity in the region, it’s vital for the whole Northern Powerhouse. It could provide much-needed freight capacity, while playing a key role in Northern Powerhouse Rail by opening up Newcastle, Gateshead and Northumberland to those travelling from Liverpool and Manchester for business or leisure.

“The huge potential benefits of the newly reopened Ferryhill Station – which we and Paul Howell MP have long campaigned – will be significantly undermined if it only connects people to Middlesbrough, when the potential is to open up Wearside and Tyneside as well.”

For more information, visit www.transportnortheast.gov.uk 

Chamber anger at piecemeal rail investment for North East

Written by

John McCabe, chief executive, North East England Chamber of Commerce said: “Today’s announcement gives us some recognition for our Fast Track East Coast and Northumberland rail campaign but it is still a huge missed opportunity for our region.  The benefits of this piecemeal investment will be hugely diluted by cancelling HS2 and detailed Northern Powerhouse Rail plans.  Speed is not the problem with our region’s rail network. We need more capacity and reliability of services more urgently.

“The Government’s integrated rail plan fails to deliver on the levelling up agenda and give much-need commitment to transformational projects for the North. Without the full delivery of Northern Powerhouse Rail, the eastern leg of HS2 and improved capacity on the East Coast Main Line our region’s potential will continue to be held back by out-dated rail infrastructure.

“This is especially disappointing after COP26 and the need to shift travel from road to rail to meet net zero targets. Media reports have said that there could now be more than 12,000 extra car journeys a day in the North of England due to the poor rail connections in the North causing congestion and harming air quality.

“Rail connections are key for the North East’s businesses helping to encourage more trade between northern cities, as well as giving people a wider choice of employment opportunities, encouraging people to stay and work in the region.

“The Government had previously committed to Northern Powerhouse Rail and set up bodies like Transport for the North to advise on rail connectivity. Failing to listen to them and Northern leaders on the need to invest demonstrates that there is a lag between rhetoric and action on levelling up.

“I am urgently requesting a meeting with the relevant ministers to raise our members’ concerns directly and begin discussions on how we might salvage something from any future transport policy. The Government’s entire levelling up credibility is at stake here.”

North East leaders urge Government to invest in regional rail links

Written by

A powerful group of North East business and political leaders has written to Government urging it to make investment in the East Coast Main Line an urgent priority.

The letter to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps sets out the substantial economic advantages to improving capacity along the crowded route from Northallerton to Berwick.

Signed by James Ramsbotham, chief executive, North East England Chamber of Commerce on behalf of businesses, local authorities and Northern Powerhouse Partnerships, in the letter he said: “We are writing to you united to make the urgent case for investment in the East Coast Main Line as part of the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan. This funding will show that the Government truly is committed to investing in the North and the levelling up agenda as part of the recovery process.

We need HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail delivered, along with investment in regional links to tackle decades of underinvestment in the North East’s rail links.”

Capacity issues on the East Coast Main Line, which has only one track north, and one south are a key concern. The letter highlights how upgrades can be delivered through reinstating the Leamside line in full and upgrading the line between Northallerton and Norton and the Stillington line as land is already available on which to run new track. The letter also highlights the Durham Coast line and investment in local links connecting from the East Coast Main Line to the whole of the North East.

Councillor Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “North East business and political leaders are fully united in this call for investment in the East Coast Main Line including the reopening of the Leamside Line in full. This is a crucial priority for our region and it is imperative that the government acts now.

“We urgently need to increase capacity on the East Coast Main Line which would deliver significant economic benefits across our region. As it stands, the East Coast Main Line is too slow and unreliable, and it simply doesn’t offer the capacity we need on this vital connection, now or in the future. As well as solving capacity constraints on the East Coast Main Line, a reopened Leamside Line could enable the introduction of local passenger services and extensions to the Metro, so its importance cannot be overstated.

“The North East Joint Transport Committee strongly urge Government to commit to upgrade the East Coast Main Line in the upcoming Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), including the full reopening of the Leamside Line. We continue to work closely with key partners to push for this long-overdue investment.”

Chamber comment on Northumberland Rail Investment

Written by

Policy Adviser, Marianne O’Sullivan:

“We welcome the announcement of £34m to rapidly progress plans to reopen the Northumberland Line. The Chamber has long been campaigning for the reopening of the line and investment in our local rail links as part of the levelling up agenda. This will provide vital connectivity for Northumberland helping to regenerate areas and linking more people to job and employment opportunities.

“We are also supportive of the line as freight trains will still be able to access the Port of Blyth helping to expand the North East’s energy sector.

“The Northumberland Line will help to open up opportunities for investment and housing in new areas as well presenting an opportunity for the North East to encourage more sustainable travel and reduce congestion on some of our major roads. The plans to include multi-modal transport interchanges along the route will be essential to create an integrated transport plan to ensure that people can access the stations.”

Chamber comments on National Infrastructure Commission’s ‘Rail Needs Assessment’

Written by

Whilst it is positive to see the East Coast Mainline and regional stations highlighted in the National Infrastructure’s report the North East shouldn’t have to choose between investment in these or HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.

Improvements to Darlington and Middlesbrough stations have been highlighted by the Commission as quick wins to increase capacity and help to deliver more services along with the Northumberland Line scheme to provide connections between Newcastle and Ashington.

The East Coast Main Line was highlighted by the Commission as a key route, we need to see a major upgrade to the route north of York with a focus on improving capacity. The reinstatement of the disused Leamside Line coupled with upgrades for the existing East Coast Main Line, including between Northallerton and Norton will help to increase capacity and reliability on the route.

We need to see the Government commit to upgrading existing lines, improving regional links in the North and investing in long distance links to link the North and Midlands to the rest of the country.

We need HS2 Eastern leg in full and Northern Powerhouse Rail delivered along with investment in regional links to tackle decades of underinvestment in the North East’s rail links. HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail are essential to increase capacity and create reliable rail connections across the North.

With the government now set to publish an Integrated Rail Plan in 2021 it is essential that Northern Powerhouse Rail, the HS2 Eastern Leg, and upgrading the East Coast Main Line in the North East are all included. In order to achieve its levelling up agenda and increase productivity the Government needs to invest to increase capacity and create reliable, sustainable connections for the North East.

View the National Infrastructure’s report here.