We'd like to say a big thank you to the local residents who attended our information session on station construction at Bedlington on Tuesday 28th January.
If you couldn't make it on the night, here's some more information with copies of the slides that were shared, some of the questions and answers that were given on the night, as well as our fly-through video which shows what the station will look like when it's completed.
If there are any questions on the project, then please email rail@northumberland.gov.uk or call 0345 600 6400 and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Here's our fly-through video which shows what the station at Bedlington will look like when works are completed;
Here's a selection of the questions that the panel were asked;
Questions | Answers |
When will the station be open? | Aiming for the back end of the year but not committing to a specific date as a lot can change between now and then. |
What will happen to Station Road/Melrose Villas car park (one opposite Sleekburn House) once the MSI compound is gone? | This will be returned to being a public car park. |
Why have the dates for the opening of the station changed so much? | Delays to Bedlington are linked to the need to complete the signalling upgrade and commissioning first, the presence of many unmapped buried utilities (many associated with the railway line) and constraints due to working next to an operating railway line. |
The platform construction was in the presentation as May- is this the beginning or end of the construction? If it is the end what else is left to do before the station opens? | May is the end of platform construction. After this is CCTV, lighting, platform shelters, etc, then commissioning the station into service. |
How are the delays being funded? Is this not costing more? Is there a risk Bedlington could be mothballed? | Yes there is a contingency fund which is being drawn down on. It’s a balance between the delay and the cost of accelerating to make up the delay. |
Can you guarantee that Bedlington station will open? | Cannot guarantee anything, but as far as possible, they will work to make sure all 6 stations open. They have been through the process to defend funding 6 stations and will do it again. |
Would it not have been better to wait to run trains until all the stations were open? | This was considered but it was decided on balance to start delivering benefits to the region. |
How can the buried redundant cables/ mine remains be unknown- were the surveys done incorrectly? Has station construction slowed down? Has Northumberland Park station been sinking? You should know from Mining maps exactly what remediation was needed. | The plans of the redundant assets/ mine remains are not accurate- there is no feedback mechanism for this. Some station construction has slowed because of finding redundant assets/ needing mining remediation. Northumberland Park has always been the most challenging station, but no, it’s not sinking. A lot of work has been done to stabilise it. |
The train prices are currently low. By the time Bedlington is open, will residents still have access to these lower prices or will they have risen? | The prices on the line will increase in line with inflation each year. The price rises will be the same across the line (pending inflation)- and in line with the rest of the UK. |
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