The latest station to be completed on the Northumberland Line is set to open mid March.
After more than 60 years the public started using the line again before Christmas – with passengers making around 50,000 journeys in the first month. That figure has now surpassed 110,000.
The opening of the line is set to bring massive benefits not just in terms of travel, but also investment, educational and job opportunities, as well as enhanced public transport connectivity across the wider region.
Now, following the opening of Ashington and Seaton Delaval stations on December 15th, Newsham Station in Blyth will remove its barriers and accept passengers from the middle of March. The exact date will be confirmed nearer the time.
The remaining three stations at Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park are scheduled to open throughout 2025.
Northumberland County Council Leader Glen Sanderson said: “It has taken a lot of courage, commitment and ambition to build this Line and everyone involved in it should feel incredibly proud to see another station opening.
“Every challenge that could have been thrown at the project has been thought through, managed, and then dealt with and we’re delighted to be just days away from opening now.
“The new, nationally important, rail line has proved extremely popular carrying well over 100,000 passengers so far and will save the daily grind through traffic for thousands of motorists."
“We hope to see the line fully open soon, and then we want to see an extension to Newbiggin. We remain fully focused on the end result which will be truly transformational for our county.”
Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said: “Tens of thousands of people have already benefited from the historic reopening of the Northumberland Line, and I’m pleased many more will do so when Newsham station opens next month.
“The line is having a transformational impact on a region that was unserved by the railway for 60 years, stimulating economic growth in line with the Government’s Plan for Change, providing better travel options for local people and opening up new opportunities for businesses.”
Olivia Perkins, Managing Director from Morgan Sindall Infrastructure-Rail, said, "The opening of Newsham railway station is a proud achievement for our team and supply chain.
“Once again, there has been a lot of hard work to get to this point. Thank you to everyone who made this possible. There are more milestones to come on the Northumberland Line Project, and we remain dedicated to delivering the remaining stations with minimal disruption to passengers and the local community in mind.”
Paul Henry, Northern’s Programme Manager for the Northumberland Line, added: “We are looking forward to opening Newsham station following years of hard work and planning."
“The line is already having a significant impact on the region, opening up new opportunities to tens of thousands of people in south east Northumberland who are now using our services to travel for work, school and days out.”
Tickets for The Northumberland Line can be bought via https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/
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