Leamside line reopening moves closer after Government confirms huge investment in new northern rail network
The reopening of the Leamside line to connect Washington, County Durham and the wider North East to other major towns and cities of the north and south has moved a step closer after the Government has pledged up to £45bn to create a Northern Powerhouse Rail Network.
An initial £1.1 billion for development and design work will be available to enable the creation of a “detailed delivery plans which will include timings”, the Treasury said.
A key part of the proposed new rail network is the reopening of the Leamside line which was closed to passengers in 1964 and to freight in the 90s.
Reopening the 21 mile stretch of railway line would reconnect Tyne & Wear with County Durham as well as reconnecting the towns an villages of Durham with the East Coast mainline, re-establishing connections with major cities of the north and south, including London.
In November the The North East Combined Authority (NECA) confirmed AECOM will complete a new assessment that will look at the feasibility and benefits of reopening this section of the line. It will include detailed technical work on a new investment corridor which will identify growth opportunities for jobs and housing along a reopened line.
In June the North East Mayor Kim McGinness announced a funding deal with the Government including £900m to extend the Metro line to include Washington, which will also use northern sections of the Leamside line.
Commenting on the Government’s £45bn commitment to rail travel in the North, the region’s mayor Kim McGuinness said: “The Leamside Line through County Durham is a once in a generation project that has the potential to transform our communities and I’m pleased the Government has committed to work with us on this.
"My region deserves major investment in transport and that’s what we’re delivering, ensuring Northern Powerhouse Rail services reach Newcastle, via Darlington and Durham. We will work with Government on the proposed Leamside reopening, aiming to bring back rail to parts of County Durham for the first time in decades.”
The Northern Powerhouse Rail development will also include the building of a new railway line between Birmingham and Manchester as well as improving connections on existing lines in the 2030s on routes between Sheffield and Leeds, Leeds and York, and between Leeds and Bradford.
A second phase of NPR would involve a new route between Liverpool and Manchester via Manchester airport and Warrington, using a combination of new and existing lines.
The third and final phase will create better connections eastwards from Manchester to Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York.
There is also money for a new station for Bradford.
Connectivity in the North lags behind the South. Where a Paddington to Reading rail journey of 35 miles takes just 22 minutes, a rail journey between Liverpool and Manchester Airport of just 29 miles can take 1 hour and 25 minutes, stopping 21 times.
Commenting on the investment, prime minister Keir Starmer, said: “I spent three happy years in Leeds as a university student, a vibrant city I was proud to call home. But I've seen first hand what underinvestment and empty pledges do to cities across the North.
“A reliable commute, a secure job, a thriving town centre - these are all things that everyone should expect. But over and over again people in Northern communities, from Liverpool and Manchester to York and Newcastle have been let down by broken promises.
“This cycle has to end. No more paying lip service to the potential of the North, but backing it to the hilt.
“That's why this government is rolling up its sleeves to deliver real, lasting change for millions of people through Northern Powerhouse Rail: a major new rail network across the North that will deliver faster, more frequent services.
“This investment is proof we’re putting our money where our mouth is, working with local leaders to deliver the transport links that will help working people do what they need to in life – getting to work, taking the kids to school, or days out with the family."
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, added: “If economic growth is the challenge, investment and renewal is the solution. That’s why we’re reversing years of chronic underinvestment in the North.
“Our transformative plans will create jobs, build homes and unlock opportunities for businesses to invest. That’s how we deliver economic growth, a renewed Britain and more money in working people’s pockets.”