Northumberland Line Stations Delayed Until 2026

Two of the remaining stations on the £300 million Northumberland Line will now not reopen to the public until 2026 due to engineering setbacks.

Transcript

00:00Two of the remaining stations of the £300m Northumberland line will now not reopen to the public until 2026,

00:08Council Leader Glen Sanderson confirmed at Wednesday's meeting last week for Northumberland County Council.

00:14The setback comes just a week after Council officials said Northumberland Park and Bedlington were on track to open by the end of this year.

00:23Those stations have now been pushed back following a phased approach and complex engineering issues,

00:28including historic mineworkings and structural challenges.

00:33Meanwhile, Blythe-Bebside, originally planned for summer reopening, is now expected to launch later this year,

00:40with Newsham having already opened in March and Ashen Inn and Seton-Dellivale since last November.

00:46Despite the delays, the line has seen a major success.

00:48Since launching in December, the new Northumberland service has already carried more than 400,000 passengers in just over seven months.

00:58Sanderson praised the development as a success story that is nationally important,

01:03stressing that safety takes precedence over timetables.

01:07A Northern Rail spokesperson echoed that commitment to safety in collaboration,

01:12adding that all remaining stations, Bebside, Bedlington and Northumberland Park,

01:16are being expedited as quickly in safety as possible, with support from Northumberland County Council.

01:22This phased opening has sparked frustration in some communities, particularly Bedlington,

01:28where locals feel left behind amid ongoing delays.

01:32But Council leaders remain resolute that the railway's benefits,

01:36such as boosting local travel, supporting jobs and creating an economic corridor to Tyneside,

01:41for outweigh the temporary setbacks.