The
Northumberland
Line


connecting
Ashington
and
Newcastle
gained
a
third
station
this
morning,
when
Newsham
opened
to
passengers.

A
local
councillor
has
predicted
that
the
demand
will
be
so
great
that
Northern
will
have
to
lengthen
its
trains.

Trains
are
now
calling
at
Newsham
every
half
hour,
and
the
journey
time
to
Newcastle
is
22
minutes.
The
station
should
have
opened
with
the
29km
line
in
December,
but
the
site
was
described
as
‘complex’.
It
includes
a
new
road
bridge,
which
alone
cost
£30
million.

The
first
two
stations
to
open
were
Ashington
and
Seaton
Delaval,
and
three
more
are
still
under
construction.

Councillor
Daniel
Carr,
who
represents
the
South
Blyth
ward
for
the
Conservatives,
told
the
BBC:
‘It
was
promised
all
those
years
ago
and
finally
it’s
here.

‘I
think
the
station
will
be
used
even
more
than
Blyth
Bebside
which
will
hopefully
open
later
this
year.

‘These
kind
of
transport
hubs
are
really
needed
and
I
think
we’ll
see
a
reduction
in
the
number
of
cars
leaving
Blyth.
I
think
Northern
will
need
to
put
on
extra
coaches.’

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