Northumberland Line

Overview

The Northumberland Line will bring passenger trains back into service between Ashington and Newcastle. It is a priority of both Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Council and is supported by a number of key project partners, including the Department for Transport (DfT), Network Rail, Transport for the North (TfN) Nexus and Northern Rail.

The Northumberland Line aims to stimulate and support economic growth, regeneration and community development in Northumberland and the surrounding regions by providing new and improved transport links for local people and businesses.  By doing so, the scheme will:

• Improve access from towns such as Ashington and Blyth to employment hubs like Newcastle, as well as opening up new opportunities for education and travel;
• Provide a real incentive for potential employers to relocate to and invest in the area;
• Provide vital infrastructure to help deliver the region’s aspirations for population and economic growth;
• Attract visitors and improve local tourism;
• Enhance public transport connectivity within and beyond the region;
• Help to reduce congestion and improve air quality on key corridors by moving people away from car travel and onto public transport; and
• Support the delivery of significant growth in sectors such as renewable energy, offshore oil and gas and engineering.

The project will provide six new stations at Ashington, Blyth Bebside, Bedlington, Newsham, Seaton Delaval and Northumberland Park, with journeys between Newcastle and Ashington taking about 35 minutes with no need to change trains. The station at Northumberland Park will be adjacent to the existing Tyne and Wear Metro station, bringing further opportunities for interchange and travel to other destinations. We are exploring options for integrated ticketing between the two services.

At Newcastle station, it is anticipated that Northumberland Line trains will run into platform one, with easy access to the city centre, Tyne and Wear Metro and national rail connections.

The freight trains that currently use the railway will still be able to do so, helping support the economic aspirations of both Lynemouth Power Station and the Port of Blyth.

A decision on who will run the trains on the Northumberland Line is expected by the end of 2020. The train service is likely to be operated by trains made up of two, three or four coaches.

The line is currently anticipated to open to passengers in winter 2023.

Why your views matter

Here we explain the various elements of the Northumberland Line scheme, including the six new stations, new footbridges and a potential underpass, changes to level crossings and the land we will need to use to build it. The following informations shows how our proposals have developed since they were last shared in late 2019.

We are asking for your feedback on a number of key scheme elements, which will be signposted to you throughout these webpages. You can also read about our proposals by downloading our consultation booklet, which can be found at the bottom of this page.

You will be able to comment on just those elements that are relevant to you, or on the scheme as a whole. We will use your feedback to inform the further development of the scheme.

A Northumberland Line presentation has been prepared for the purposes of this consultation, click on the image below to watch this presentation.

What happens next

After consultation has closed, we will review all the feedback we have received and update our designs prior to submitting the planning applications. As part of the planning applications for the stations, we will submit a Statement of Community Engagement that explains how people’s feedback has been considered and a short summary will be added to the project website.

How can I keep informed?

Up to date information about the project will be included on the scheme website, click here to visit NCC Northumberland Line webpage where you can sign up to recieve a project newsletter.