It was reported on 16 June that Rachel Reeves, speaking on a visit to Gateshead, had ‘refused to confirm whether a full reopening of the mothballed Leamside Line would be part of a major rail commitment for the North of England.’ It was also noted that the Chancellor, during her Spending Review on 11th June had held out the prospect that the coming weeks would see the Government reveal plans to ‘take forward our ambitions’ for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
That project is a long-standing vision to radically improve East to West train connections across the North, with high-speed rail between Leeds City, Liverpool Lime Street, and Hull stations. It has also been envisaged that Bradford have a new through-station and better connectivity across Yorkshire and the North West.
The Leamside Line
The project also includes what has been described as ‘the full reinstatement of the Leamside railway line to create a new Tyne-Tees link and free up space on the congested East Coast Main Line.’
Additionally, it was noted in the Chronicle live article that, ‘while it has been confirmed this month that the northern part of the route will be used to open a new Washington Loop on the Tyne and Wear Metro, using some of a £1.85 billion funding package being given to North East mayor Kim McGuinness, it remains unclear whether the southern section through County Durham can also be restored.’
As the Treasury prepares to unveil a £745 billion infrastructure spending strategy for the next decade, so Reeves was asked on 16th June, whether the expected NPR proposals would include reopening the full length of the Leamside Line. Speaking on a visit to Gateshead to celebrate the confirmation of funding to complete the repairs on the Tyne Bridge, the Chancellor replied to the question:
“We are going to make more announcements in the weeks and months ahead. But I was really pleased in the Spending Review to be able to announce a £1.8 billion settlement for Kim McGuinness, including the extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro.”
Reeves was reported to have added:
“This is a government delivering for the people of Sunderland, Washington, and across the North East. Today we are making the announcement and showing that money is set aside for the completion of work on the Tyne Bridge. I recognise there are other projects in the North East that have been crying out for investment for years.
“In the last 14 years under the Conservative government the North East was badly let down. I hope people can see, in the first multi-year Spending Review of this Government with me as Chancellor, substantial money is coming to the North East for transport, for free school meals, for a whole range of projects that are so essential for growth, prosperity, and putting money into the pockets of working people here in the North East.”
North East Public Transport Users Group
Alistair Ford, a spokesperson from Northeast Public Transport Users Group had this to say about the situation regarding funding for the Leamside Line:
“The Leamside line was closed prematurely in the early 1990s, removing a vital diversionary route from our rail network, and missing an opportunity to bring rail services back to communities in County Durham. Whilst the use by Tyne and Wear Metro is welcome, any development must also safeguard the option to reintroduce heavy rail services on the rest of the line to Ferryhill. This would allow slower freight and local passenger trains to use the line, opening new stations for communities like Fencehouses, Sherburn, and Bowburn. We hope that investment will be forthcoming from the Labour government to help deliver this next vital piece in the North East’s sustainable transport network.”
Comment
We have recently seen that the North as a whole has been shortchanged over the last ten years or so in terms of funding for transport, to the tune of £140 billion. We have also heard that Rachel Reeves has torn up the notorious Treasury Green Book and is starting to spend serious money on transport and other infrastructure projects in the North.
We know that the Lower Thames crossing is going to be given another £590 million by Reeves, and given the way funding has been managed in recent decades, it would seem sensible for campaigners in the North East to keep a close eye on what Reeves is really committing to.
After all, there is a saying in the North East that, ‘shy bairns get nowt.’ We have been too shy for decades now and received little or nothing. Surely the time has come to demand better – and make sure that we get it.
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