Well folks, we did it! I am absolutely delighted to announce funding to enable the reopening of the Leamside Line AND the construction of Ferryhill train station.
They said we couldn’t do it, they said it was a pipe dream…
Yet, despite the gloomsters, we refused to give up on our region.
I spent a large part of my childhood in Ferryhill, and with a current population of 10,000 people, I know that the town will really flourish with this improved transport link.
This is such an exciting moment, given that thousands of jobs are now being linked to Teesside with the new Freeport and other exciting initiatives.
The new Ferryhill station offers a unique opportunity to link the south of the county with key employment sites in Teesside, including the proposed Teesside Freeport and Tees Valley multi-modal hydrogen transport hub, which have the potential to support 18,000 and 3,900 jobs respectively.
Partnered with the potential long-term reinstatement of the Leamside Line, Ferryhill station will be part of a new Tyne-Tees connection, seeing rail services continue all the way up to Newcastle.
The improved rail connectivity will also encourage a shift from road to public transport, helping to reduce congestion and environmental impact.
This is a great day for our region and one that has been long overdue. Today heralds a new epoch in our region’s transport Infrastructure story and I am humbled to have played a part in securing this vital inheritance for our children’s future.
Full steam ahead!