Why is Sunderland Station closed and when will it reopen? All you need to know about the controversial closure

Sunderland Station’s closure shocked Wearside residents when doors were locked from Sunday, December 18, but why has the action been taken and when can Wearside residents expect to be able to use the station again? Here’s all you need to know ...

When is Sunderland Station reopening?

With two exceptions this week, the station will be closed from Sunday, December 18, up to Friday, December 23. The only operational hours will be on Tuesday, December 20, when trains will run from 5:15am until 2:45pm and Christmas Eve morning is now covered until 2:45pm which sees the last Grand Central and Northern services run through Sunderland before Christmas. National Rail services often finish at earlier times on Christmas Eve to allow for work to be carried out across the system on Christmas day when trains are not running at all.

Why is Sunderland station closed?

The main issue surrounding the closure is a lack of available staff according to those against the closure. As part of a joint letter to National Rail expressing their anger towards the action, all three of Sunderland’s Labour MPs Julie Elliott, Sharon Hodgson and Bridget Phillipson claimed the rail operator “have known about the various issues surrounding industrial action and staff shortages for months” and encouraged the group to return to the negotiation table following a series of rail strikes which have hit the UK over the last six months.

Kerry Peters, regional director at Northern, added: “Sunderland station will be closed or operating restricted hours between 18 and 24 December. This is due to industrial action impacting staffing numbers.

“We are sorry for the disruption this will cause for some of our customers.”

The next train strikes will hit English tracks from 6pm on Saturday, December 24, and come to an end at 6am on Tuesday, December 27.

What alternatives are available to people wanting to travel from Sunderland station?

National Rail suggest customers needing to travel to Sunderland from Newcastle should use the Tyne and Wear Metro at St Peters or Park Lane during the closures.

Metro options between Park Lane and South Hylton remain unavailable due to damage to an electrical substation in Pallion.

Anyone wanting to use the remainder of the Durham Coast line will need to travel west on the Metro to Heworth. This can be done from Park Lane or St Peters from Sunderland city centre.

What has been said about Sunderland Station’s closure?

Elsewhere in the letter to National Rail, Sunderland’s Labour MPs said: “At a time when public transport is absolutely essential to allow families to see loved ones, and businesses often rely on the festive period for vital income, it is totally unacceptable for Northern Rail to close Sunderland Station.

"This decision leaves Sunderland without a train station, meaning that no trains, nor the local metro are able stop at Sunderland station. Local residents deserve so much better.”

Local buisness owners have also been left frustrated by the closure. Matty Thoburn, who runs Thoburn’s fruit and veg in Jacky White’s market, is furious at the decision: “This is the busiest week of our entire year, so this is really difficult for us,” he said. "It is totally, totally wrong.”