Additional funds enable preparatory work for Ashington reopening

Government has pledged £34 million towards plans to reopen the Northumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington to its first regular passenger services since 1964.

The funding will be used for preparatory works, including land acquisition and detailed design work. The project includes new stations at Ashington, Bedlington, Blythe Bebside, Newsham, Seaton Delaval and Northumberland Park.

Trackwork and changes to level crossings will also be required on the 18-mile route, which is currently used by freight.

Northumberland County Council estimates that the final cost will be £166m and that the line will open by 2024.

It adds that reopening the line will be made possible by the “ground-breaking” use of land value capture as a funding source.

This means that while initial funding will come from the public purse, landowners along the route will eventually pay back a share of the uplift in land values created by the new line.

NCC Leader Glen Sanderson said: “This is absolutely fantastic news and means we can now finalise our plans to deliver this transformational project for both Northumberland and the wider region.

“The Northumberland Line will bring a huge boost to the area in terms of economic growth, housing, employment and education opportunities, as well as providing a fast and efficient new transport link between the south east of the county and Tyneside.”

Meanwhile, the Department for Transport also announced on January 23 that the third and final round of the £500m Restoring your Railway ‘Ideas Fund’ is now open until March 5.

The previous two rounds led to some 25 projects being awarded up to £50,000 each to develop schemes to restore stations, services and railway lines.

Open to local authorities, MPs and community groups, successful third round bids are due to be announced later in the summer.