The Northumberland Line is set to hit a major milestone by Easter with a quarter of a million journeys undertaken.
Three of the line’s planned six stations are now in operation following the opening of Blyth Newsham this month. However, council leader Glen Sanderson was forced to defend the £300mn investment in the railway line at last week’s meeting of the county council.
Council meeting
It followed criticism from former council leader Jeff Reid, who has been a long-time sceptic of the impact reopening the line between Newcastle and Ashington would have. Speaking at his final meeting of full council before his retirement from local government, Coun Reid pressed his successor on the finances of the railway.
He said:
“When will you write off the £300 million that you spent building it? When do you think it will not require a subsidy to run?
“When do you project the timetable will reduce because it is not cost effective? The finances are what is really important – this is £300mn that the council will never get back.”
The line reopened in December, returning passenger railway to south east Northumberland for the first time since the original line was closed as part of the infamous Beeching Cuts in the 1960s. The stations at Blyth Bebside, Northumberland Park and Bedlington will open throughout this year.
Fantastic achievement
Responding to Coun Reid, Coun Sanderson said:
“You are the man that said to me not too long ago that the trains will be empty. You said the brush would be blowing past empty trains.
“You said you would be lucky to have anybody else sitting on the same carriage. You said that.
“The Northumberland Line was a hugely challenging, very ambitious project. We hoped we might have 50,000 passengers – we haven’t managed to do that because by Easter, we hope to have done 250,000 journeys on the Northumberland Line.
“That is a fantastic achievement. How do you account for the 250,000 journeys that have been made? That is proof of the sense of the project and the commitment it has taken.
“It is not the council that found £300mn to fund it – we found part of that. The council played a really proud part in delivering this and that money will be really well spent.
“We are spending £50mn on a new school in Seaton Valley which we will never see a return on. I talk about value for money, and for a 2.99% rise in council tax, what you’re seeing is a huge raft of improvements, including the Northumberland Line.
“I know you will use it soon and we look forward to seeing you on the line.”
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