This morning I joined fellow MPs, local politicians and business leaders at multiple locations along the Leamside Line to make the case for its reopening.
The tour started in Follingsby, before progressing to the magnificent Victoria Viaduct before culminating in Ferryhill, where Leamside and the East Coast Main Line merges.
Reopening the disused line is a key priority for the region because of the economic, social, and environmental benefits it would bring. The rail route β a 21 mile stretch from Gateshead, through South Tyneside, Sunderland and County Durham but closed since 1992 β runs through numerous areas where new jobs and housing could be stimulated by new stations, as well as taking hundreds of cars each day off some the regionβs main commuter roads β improving city centre air quality and decarbonising transport.
Places like Follingsby, Washington and Ferryhill are crying out for direct rail connectivity, and we must continue to call for investment in this critical piece of railway infrastructure. Leamside has the potential to be game-changing β let's make it a reality for the people of the North East.
Special thanks to:
Sharon Hodgson MP
Liz Twist MP
Cllr Martin Gannon
North East Chamber of Commerce
North East Local Enterprise Partnership
Transport for the North
Northern Powerhouse Partnership
Nexus
Transport North East