Should line be reopened - and is £80m a fair price for the region to pay? (From Durham Times)

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Should line be reopened - and is £80m a fair price for the region to pay?

11:12am Friday 25th January 2008

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The region could be left on its own to foot the bill if the Leamside Line - linking Belmont with the likes of Pelaw and Stockton - is to be reopened. However, that bill could be as much as £80m. Should it be reopened and, if so, is it fair that the region should have to pay the cost?

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W Graham, Durham says...
1:13pm Thu 31 Jan 08

No it shouldn't be re-opened, thats a lot of money to find, and i remember when trains used to run on the line, the noise would keep you awake at night.

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Rob James, South Shields says...
12:46pm Sun 3 Feb 08

What a great idea! I'm in the process of moving to Durham and this would be a great connection to Tyneside. The cost, unfortunately, is quite prohibitive however!

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Barry, Hants says...
8:38pm Sun 3 Feb 08

If the benefit/cost ratio is greater than 1, the £32 per head will be money well spent.

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Anthony Walker, says...
11:03pm Thu 7 Feb 08

Of course the Leamside Line should be reinstated. It would provide many new journey opportunities and enable some car commuters and shoppers to get in and out of Tyneside by train instead. Whilst the region should contribute financially to the establishment of any local passenger service, the actual construction costs of the line should be met by the Treasury, just as it provides the finance for new trunk roads.

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Damian Bell, Gateshead says...
10:12pm Sat 9 Feb 08

The Leamside Line ought to be re-opened at the very least as a freight line and diversionary route for long distance passenger trains. Unlike the quadruple track further south, the East Coast Main Line between Tursdale Junction (south end of Leamside Line) and Gateshead is double track which restricts capacity. In order to improve reliability of the railway, more diversionary routes are needed, so the Leamside Line would benefit more than north-east England alone. If local passenger services were to run on the Leamside Line, they should be financed from local funds, but the line itself should be paid for by the Treasury.

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Peter Johnson, says...
7:52pm Thu 14 Feb 08

The reopening of the line would clearly bring substantial private and social benefits both to the local population and to the substantial numbers passing through the region. In evaluating the £60m price tag for the Leamside section, it should be remembered that the benefits would accrue over many decades. To the extent that benefits not reflected in revenues streams are received by people from outside the region, the Treasury should contribute. A case for central government help may also be made on regeneration grounds

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James Lamb, Durham says...
11:44am Mon 3 Mar 08

The Leamside Line should be reopened at the earliest opportunity. It would provide many advantages to the region, acting as a diversionary route and also opening up new access to the rail network. We really need to be reinstating as many rail lines as possible if we are going to encourage people out of their cars. The Leamside line would provide an ideal opportunity for this - all the infrastructure is in place and it wouldn't take too long to reopen it.

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Mark Morris, West Rainton says...
8:47pm Mon 3 Mar 08

Yes, the line should be re-opened.
It would help to improve transport links between Durham and Newcastle. The A19 and A1M are at full capacity now! The benefits would be great for Durham City.

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DB, Durham says...
8:12pm Mon 10 Mar 08

W Graham wrote:
No it shouldn't be re-opened, thats a lot of money to find, and i remember when trains used to run on the line, the noise would keep you awake at night.

Yes the line should be reopened, and as soon as possible. It should link in with the park and ride at belmont. As for those who are complaining about the potential noise, then why did you buy a house near a railway track

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S Wright BSc, Aberdeen, Scotland says...
4:45pm Tue 11 Mar 08

This is essential for the line to reopen, this will bring a much needed route for passengers to commute into Tyneside and south for east Durham people. I originally am from Durham and in a time when there is too much congestion on the roads and far too many one person car journeys to work, now is the time. Yes, the Treasury should help fund this. This will be an environmentally sustainable move for the North East and of great economic benefit!

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Roger Cornwell, Durham City says...
2:38pm Fri 21 Mar 08

The Durham Green Business Park, which has outline planning permission, will, it is claimed, bring 5000 jobs to Bowburn. How will there people get to work? Well, the Leamside line runs along the western edge of the site. Surely the developer could fund a new station and contribute to the cost of bringing the line back into service? The alternative is yet more congestion on the A1(M) and the A177.

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Ben, Newcastle says...
6:08pm Wed 28 May 08

It definitely should be opeed, no question about it. If we are ever to reduce cars and freight on the road then this is the answer. It's a crime to have disused railway lines like this and in such an economically viable area. The cost is small fry in the long-term. Why can't anyone make long-term decisions in govenment anymore? It serves a huge community and the relief on the ECML would be worth it alone. It has my vote! bold]bold

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