Leamside Line
Our MP continues to claim credit for pressing for the re-opening of the Leamside Line, but it may be useful to put this all into a little bit of context.
Firstly a bit of history: The Leamside line was originally a relief/freight line by-passing Durham City that was closed some time ago. Unlike many other line closures, however, the rails were not taken up as someone with a few extra grey cells realised it might be useful in the future.
For some of us, that particular future should have started some years ago when road traffic started to become a problem. Indeed the Belmont Park and Ride location was chosen specifically because it is adjacent to the line and the prospect of a commuter service up to Gateshead is very attractive.
So the issue of re-opening the line has been raised regularly for at least the past 5 years at meetings of the Association of North East Councils (ANEC) and has strong all-party support there, as there is for a similar line up from Newcastle via Wallsend up to Blyth.
The problem is that under the privatisation agenda of both Conservative and Labour Governments, the strategic benefit of these lines has been consistently ignored even though the East Coast Main Line is approaching capacity.
MPs in the region (Labour of course as there are none of any other kind in Tyne & Wear and Durham) belatedly took up the issue last year led by Fraser Kemp MP (Houghton & Washington East) - yes, Roberta was in the room but it by all accounts Fraser was taking the lead.
It seems that the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has at long last realised that this scheme might have legs (or perhaps wheels might be more appropriate) , but it has been talking about a timescale of 2020 rather than the 2014 (latest) that everyone locally wants.
So that’s the background. My issue with our MP is that she is again trying to claim everything for herself without acknowledging the fact that councils regionally have been pressing this for a long long time and that she is only one of several MPS involved, and not the lead one anyway.
Letters to ministers are no doubt welcome, but as things are arranged, the people to press are actually the SRA, and efffective lobbying of bodies like that is best done by getting all the partners working together, MPs, Councils and business leaders irrespective of party affiliation.
PS It probably isn’t important, but as a minority Vice Chair of ANEC I have often spoken at its meetings in support of opening the Leamside Line!
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If I can start with a brief comment in my role as “old nitpicker”, the Leamside line was in fact the original East Coast Main Line, the route via Durham City came into use in 1872.
But my main point is that there is an opportunity should the Durham Green Business Park move from outline to full planning permission. As its western boundary is the Leamside Line, could a Section 106 agreement not be put in place to fund a new station to take at least some of the 5000 people it is claimed would work there, and also to provide some money towards reopening the line? The alternative is yet more congestion on the A1(M) and surrounding roads.
Apologies, Roger, for my lack of historical knowledge. But your substantive points are spot on. I guess we have to wait until Mr Abrahams actually starts a detailed application … am I holding my breath?