The latest station to be completed on the Northumberland Line will open on Monday, March 17th.
The opening of the line will 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.
Figures released by Northern, which operates the services, show around 50,000 passenger journeys were made on the line in the first month. That figure has now surpassed 110,000.
Newsham Station in Blyth will remove its barriers and accept passengers from Monday, March 17th, following the opening of Ashington and Seaton Delaval stations in December.
The new station will allow people to travel to Newcastle in 21 minutes, with a peak-time return ticket costing just £4.80.
The remaining three stations at Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park are scheduled to open throughout 2025.
Northumberland County Council Leader Glen Sanderson said: “I’m delighted we can now confirm a date for Newsham Station to open.
“Everyone involved with this project should feel incredibly proud to see another station opening in the next few days.
“The amazing passenger numbers show that this very ambitious project has been needed for decades, and that the real commitment from the County Council along with our partners has paid dividends for our residents, tourists and businesses.
“The opening of Newsham Station will no doubt bring a further boost to passenger numbers and we look forward to residents and visitors using this station in the very near future.”
Rail Minister Peter, Lord 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.”
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, said: “I will be delighted to see Newsham station open in just a few weeks, and with it even more people benefit from our integrated Pop card fares connecting passengers on the Northumberland Line seamlessly to the Metro system, as well as our £1 fares for everyone up to the age of 21.
“This takes the number of stations on our smart travel network to 62, with more to follow as the Northumberland Line continues to open up.”
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, Northumberland Line programme manager, said: “We were incredibly proud to bring passenger trains back to the region for the first time in 60 years when the line opened in December.
“I’m delighted to see services are already having such a positive impact, allowing tens of thousands of people get where they need to go.
“We’re now looking forward to opening Newsham station so locals can benefit from a reliable and affordable rail service.”
David Ball, Network Rail senior sponsor, said: “Having been brought back to life, the Northumberland Line is proving to be an important part of the North East’s rail network.
“The passenger numbers are very encouraging so far, and as Newsham and other stations open their doors, the line is sure to go from strength to strength.”
Tickets for The Northumberland Line can be bought via https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/ and tickets to travel to and from Newsham Station will go live on March 10th.
A drop-in event for local residents to find out more about the opening of the station will be held at Blyth Town Football Club on Tuesday, March 11th from 5pm-7.15pm.
Comments