The phones are “ringing off the hook” at Northumberland County Council’s planning office following almost a year since the Northumberland Line launched. Developers’ interest in South East Northumberland ramps up ahead of the expected one millionth journey on the line next year.
Councillors from across the North East were presented with an update on the success of the Northumberland Line, ranging from a new influx of Ashington pupils now attending Newcastle College to the carbon emissions saved with fewer car journeys. In addition, elected members at this morning’s North East Combined Authority scrutiny committee were informed about a huge surge in interest from developers since the line’s first year in operation.
The line is also expected to unlock around £450m in economic benefits through boosting employment and connecting the South East of Northumberland to Newcastle, and vice versa.
Head of strategic transport and climate change at Northumberland County Council, Stuart McNaughton, referring to one of the stated aims of the line, said: “You will see there the ‘new passenger service looking to stimulate growth in the economy, employment and housing’. That is starting to happen, if you talk to our planning colleagues at Northumberland the phone is ringing off the hook in terms of developers looking to invest in South East Northumberland as a result of what we have delivered here.”
The Northumberland Line closed to passengers on the advice of the Beeching Report back in the 1960’s. The line was returned to operation on December 15, 2024, following a £300m project and several delays.
The line has proved popular, having now generated, according to Northumberland County Council leader Glen Sandderson, 800,000 journeys by early next year. It is now expected the millionth will take place next year.
Northumberland county council leader comment
“This was quite a risk project and it has been a long time in gestation. The line closed something like 70 years ago and we wanted very much to open South East Northumberland to Newcastle and beyond and back into Northumberland.
“The Northumberland Line is that necessary artery that hugely important spine that joins us to the conurbation and the conurbation to us. It was risky, it was very expensive and it required a significant amount of patience from the previous government and the present government.
“But the county council has dug deep into its pockets and we feel it has been money well spent.”
The return of the line saw 26km of track renewal, the computerisation of the signalling system, and the updating of dozens of level crossings. These were all in place by August 2024.
The official opening of two new stations on the line, Northumberland Park and Bedlington, are also expected to open next year. The stations, while now largely structurally complete, are now in a process to check their compliance.
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