No commitment from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander on funding for Leamside Line
by James Robinson · ChronicleLiveNew Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has dampened hopes that the Government will back the re-opening of the Leamside rail line in the North East.
Ms Alexander, who took up her post two weeks ago after the resignation of previous Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, was in the North East on Thursday for the opening of the new Northumberland Line. The railway between Newcastle and Ashington is set to welcome passengers for the first time in 60 years this weekend.
Like the Northumberland Line, the Leamside Line was closed during the now infamous Beeching Cuts in 1964. Reopening Leamside, which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, has been an ambition of North East leaders for decades and is seen as key to the region's success.
Labour's North East Mayor Kim McGuinness made putting trains back on the Leamside Line a key pledge of her election campaign and has already committed £8 million to create a business case to bring the northern section of the line back into use as part of proposals to bring the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington - the country's fourth largest town not served by a railway.
However, the cost of building the Washington Metro Loop alone is thought to be £900 million - three times the cost of the entire Northumberland Line.
Speaking at the launch event on Thursday, Ms Alexander said the project would be considered as part of the Government's spending plans but she warned the Government had inherited a "dire" economic position from the Conservatives and said it was better to be honest with people than make promises that could not be kept.
She said: "We are committed to improving out transport network. I know mayor Kim McGuinness is working on plans for the Leamside Line and she already has some work under way on the northern section.
"I understand that across the country we need to improve rail connectivity. I need to look at all ideas and proposals in detail, and that is what we are doing going into the second phase of the spending review.
"We're going to have to look at how we provide really good value for money. We have been handed quite a dire economic situation from the previous Government. That is why we have to look a this very carefully.
"The previous Government was writing cheques they knew they were never going to be able to cash. I think that is really corrosive for trust and I'm going to be honest with people."
Ms McGuinness said she remained committed to the project but warned it was a "long term" plan. The Local Transport Plan sets a target date of 2032 for the Washington Metro Loop to open and 2035 for the full Leamside Line, with the mayor suggesting that investment from private businesses, alongside Government funding, would be needed to bring the huge plans to fruition.
Speaking on Thursday, she said: "I'm really determined that we will see the Leamside Line come to reality. We have already started the work on the northern part of the route.
"It requires investment, and we will have to make the case and I will do it. These are long term plans, we won't see it immediately."
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