Reopened: new £10.55 million station at Horden
The network’s newest station, at Horden in County Durham, opened on June 29.
Located on the Durham
Coast Line, the £10.55 million development near Peterlee had been scheduled to open in May, but this was delayed due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
The station is served by one train in each direction per hour between Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. It had been expected (pre-COVID-19) to register more than 70,000 passenger journeys per year.
It replaces the former Horden station which was located approximately 200 metres further south (and which closed as part of the Beeching cuts in 1964).
It has been funded by Durham County Council with an additional £4.4m from the Department for Transport’s New Stations Fund, and a grant from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership via the Local Growth Fund.
Due to the ongoing government guidance on social distancing and for people to avoid using public transport where possible, the public is being asked to avoid visiting the newly opened station in the coming days and weeks.
A spokesman for the project partners Durham County Council, Network Rail and Northern added: “We would urge people to stay away to help protect the safety of those who need to travel and those working at the station.
“We will reschedule an official opening event and there will be a time in the future when people can come and see the station.”
Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps said: “The new Horden station will improve connectivity for thousands of people, easing congestion in Durham and enabling quick, convenient travel between Newcastle and Middlesbrough.”