Battle to reopen rail line moves up a gear
The battle to reopen a mothballed railway line has been discussed by Parliament.
Transport campaigners across the North East are hoping to persuade the Government to include a pledge to fully reopen the Leamside Line – which closed to passenger traffic in 1964 as part of Dr Richard Beeching’s infamous cuts–initsupcomingIntegrated Rail Plan (IRP).
They believe restoring the lineinitsentiretywouldtrigger significant economic benefits for the region and potentially lead to an extension of Metro services to Washington.
There are fears, however, thattheDepartmentforTransport (DfT) may only support a partial reopening known as Leamside South.
Houghton and Sunderland South Labour MP Bridget Phillipson fears this second option would overlook Fence Houses for a station and has now tabled a series of written Parliamentaryquestionstorail ministerChrisHeaton-Harris.
Among the questions she asked were whether the DfT had assessed the potential environmental impact and economic benefits of reopening the line and when either line option could be completed.
MrHeaton-Harris,whohas previouslyspokenofhisdesire to see the Leamside project “come to fruition”, provided a general response to all her points.
It read: “The department received a bid to reinstate the Leamside Line (South of Tyne and Wearside) in the first round of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund.
"The bid was not successful at that stage and feedback was provided on how it could be improved.
“A further round of the Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund will open shortly and we expect to receive a stronger revised bid at that point.”
TheRestoringYourRailway
Ideas Fund allows community groups, local authorities and MPs to bid for cash to develop business cases for reopening lines.
Efforts to restore the Leamside Line, which would potentially link Sunderland, Washington and Durham by rail, are co-ordinated locally by the North East Joint Transport Committee, made up of council representatives from the region.
Ms Phillipson is also waiting for a response from Mr Heaton-Harris after writing to him“tosetoutwhyproceeding withLeamsideSouthwouldbe ashort-sightedmoveandrisks limiting our potential in the years to come”.