Leader defends rail line as costs keep on rising

THE leader of Northumberland County Council has defended the flagship Northumberland Line project, despite the need for an additional £37.8m in funding to finish the scheme.

- By JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

Members of the council’s cabinet approved plans for the increase at a meeting this week. It brings the total cost of the project, which provides a passenger rail link between Tyneside and south east Northumberland, to £336.4m.

The cost increase was blamed on engineering challenges around unmapped mineworks, particularly at the unopened Northumberland Park station in North Tyneside, where the line meets the Metro system.

The county council will fund £10m while the Department for Transport has agreed to provide an additional £17m. The cabinet has now agreed to submit a request to the North East Combined Authority for the remaining funding, with that set to be discussed at the next cabinet meeting.