£38m more needed to finish new railway line

TENS of millions of pounds in extra funding is needed to ensure the Northumberland Line Railway is completed, it has been confirmed.

- JAMES ROBINSON Local Democracy Reporter

Leading councillors at Northumberland County Council will be asked to agree an increase in the total value of the project by £37.9m.

The increase will bring the total cost of reopening the railway for passengers to £336.4m. Costs had already spiralled by £130m due to engineering challenges, with this increase confirmed last August.

The council say the necessary funding would be achieved by a £10m contribution from the council itself, as well as an additional £17m from the Department for Transport.

The council has requested £10.9m from the North East Combined Authority (NECA) to cover the remaining costs.

Further challenges around previously unknown mine workings have been blamed for the rise in costs, with the problem particularly affecting the Northumberland Park station in North Tyneside. Furthermore, works were accelerated to allow previous stations to open as early as possible, with the costs for that acceleration "higher than estimated".

Despite this, council leader Glen Sanderson remained positive. He pointed out that more than half a million passengers had made journeys on the line in just eight months, while the station at Blyth Bebside was set to open in October.