Reopening the Leamside rail line would bring wide economic benefits to a large area south of Newcastle upon Tyne, an independent study has found.

The re-launch of the line – long advocated by Railfuture – would give many people access to passenger services and would also provide a freight relief route for the East Coast main line.

The mothballed line links important centres of population not currently served by trains such as Washington and Belmont and could provide an alternative travel mode for car commuters and shoppers who want to get to Tyneside.

“Railfuture is delighted that independent experts have found in favour of the line," said Tony Walker, media spokesman for Railfuture North east. "The advantages of reopening have been clear to us for a long time.

"It is important that organisations such as the North East Assembly, the Association of NE Councils, Nexus and ONE North East, along with the region’s MPs, now pull together and impress on central government the valuable contribution Leamside can make to the North East."

Unused for 17 years, the line runs from Pelaw (Gateshead) to the East Coast main line at Ferryhill, via Usworth, Washington, Penshaw, Fence Houses, Leamside, Sherburn Colliery and Shincliffe.

Prepared by independent transport consultants on behalf of North East Local Authorities, the study estimates the cost of restoring the 21 mile line is £80million.

Network Rail, which owns the track, has not budgeted for this so that the region will have to persuade the Department for Transport to release the necessary funds.

Railfuture North East, which advocates a modern and effective national railway system, has campaigned for the past 12 years for the Leamside line to be brought back into use.

Chairman Martin Murphy welcomed the findings of the feasibility study.

“On environmental and regeneration grounds a reopened Leamside would score well,” he said. “It would also bring some much-needed additional capacity to the region’s cramped rail network.”

Mr Murphy added: “In comparison with some other proposed infrastructure projects around the country, such as motorway widening, the cost of the Leamside scheme looks very good value.”

Info from Railfuture North East. Contact: Martin Murphy at murphy.martin at btinternet.com, telephone: 01665 608150

or

Tony Walker at anthony.walker at railfuture.org.uk, telephone: 0191 386 4534

More info: wikipedia