Plans advance to extend the Northumberland Line beyond Ashington down to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea after successful reopening.
They’ve asked officers to start planning it now. The railway reopened in December. That was the first time since the 1960s. Only two stations are open right now. The rest should open throughout 2025.
Local politicians want the line to go past Ashington. They want it to reach the coast. Councillor Wearmouth said work already started. He praised Councillor Simpson’s effort, too. He believes a Newbiggin station is possible.
Simpson has lobbied a lot for her town. She really pushed this project forward. Simpson used to be a Labour deputy leader. She left the party to become independent. She will run for her seat again in May.
The council leader and mayor want the extension as well. They mentioned this at the railway’s opening. Funding could come from their spending program. This would “look seriously” at extending to Newbiggin.
Wearmouth mentioned the extension idea back in June. This followed a big investment deal. A US firm planned a data center near Blyth. The AI datacentre investment is huge. It is for job creation and growth. The town should get the first part soon.
The council reported great news last month. 50,000 people used the line.