The new UK railway station has opened as part of a massive £300 million project aimed at reducing traffic on major roads by keeping residents away from motor travel. Newsham Station, one of the six new stops on the Northumberland Line, began its passenger operations yesterday. The Ashington and Seton de Laval stations are already in operation and are stopped at Bedlington, Bryce Bevside and Northumberland Park.
This is the first time a non-flight service has been implemented in the region since the cuts in the 1960s led to many stations being xed nationwide. At Newsham Station, people can now travel to Newcastle in 21 minutes. Numbers released by Northern, which operates Northumberland Line services, show that around 50,000 passenger trips took place on the rail in the first month, and that figure is now above 110,000.
“The incredible passenger number shows that this very ambitious project has been needed for decades and that a true commitment from the county council, along with our partners, has paid dividends to our residents, tourists and businesses.”
“The opening of Newsham Station will definitely boost passenger numbers even further. We are looking forward to using this station in the near future to our residents and visitors.”
Railway Minister Hendy said tens of thousands of people have already benefited from the reopening of the Northumberland Line.
He added: “The line will have a transformative impact on areas where the railroad has not been served for 60 years, stimulate economic growth in line with government change plans, provide better travel options for locals and open up new opportunities for businesses.”
Richard Beasing was chairman of the National Body British Railway in the 1960s, and his report led to a widespread change in the rail network.
