Rail revival hopes boosted by contractor move

Plans to revive a mothballed rail route have moved a step forward.

The North East Combined Authority has appointed contractor AECOM to carry out feasibility studies on the Leamside Line.

The work will assess the potential of reopening the 21-mile rail route between Pelaw, in Gateshead, and Tursdale, near Ferryhill, in County Durham, which has lain dormant since the early 1990s.

Bosses say its renaissance would deliver “transformative” economic and transport gains.

Promising to catalyse the creation of new services, stations and “thousands” of new homes along the route, they add it would also ease congestion on the busy East Coast Main Line. 

The northern section of the route has already been earmarked for use in a so-called Washington Metro Loop, as part of a Tyne and Wear Metro extension blueprint.

And AECOM, whose national office portfolio includes a Newcastle base – and which supported the revival of the Northumberland Line – is now carrying out a feasibility study on the Leamside Line’s southern section, as well as additional economic and construction strategy work.

Tobyn Hughes, North East Combined Authority director of transport, said: “Reopening the Leamside Line is essential not just for the North East but the whole country. 

“It will transform transport connections for many local communities, as well as hugely expanding rail capacity on the adjacent and congested East Coast Main Line.

“We welcome the appointment of AECOM to two commissions. 

“The first of these is already underway and considers the technical aspects of reopening the route.  

“A second commission will now look at the role the railway will play in unlocking new jobs and housing.”

Richard Whitehead, AECOM chief executive for Europe and India, added: “We are proud to be appointed to this critical project for the North East, which will free up capacity on the East Coast Main Line and unlock significant economic and employment opportunities.”

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