Passengers Take 50,000 Journeys on Northumberland Line in First Month
The Northumberland Line sees over 50,000 journeys in its first month, highlighting strong community interest and usage.
Northumberland, UK, Northumberland Line, Transport, Railway
Newcastle: Wow, can you believe it? Passengers have made over 50,000 trips on the Northumberland Line in just its first month! That’s pretty impressive, right?
The line kicked off on December 15, right after Transport Minister Heidi Alexander gave it the green light. Rail fans from all over the North East showed up for the first ride from Newcastle Central Station to Ashington. It was a chilly Sunday morning, and folks in Ashington were super excited to see the first train roll in after sixty years.
People have been buying tickets like crazy, especially on Saturdays. On the opening day alone, more than 3,500 journeys were made, and the first week saw a whopping 16,000 trips!
Northumberland County Council is thrilled with these numbers. They say it’s exactly what they expected. They plan to dive deeper into the data later in 2025 when the service is more settled.
Paul Henry, the programme manager for the Northumberland Line, shared how amazing it’s been to welcome so many passengers. After years of planning, it’s finally paying off, and the line is really making a difference in the area.
New stations are on the way in places like Newsham, Bedlington, Blyth Bebside, and Northumberland Park. The council hopes to have them ready by 2025, with Newsham possibly opening by the end of February, though that’s still up in the air.
Glen Sanderson, the council leader, expressed how this milestone shows just how much the community needed this line. It’s been a hit, especially during the festive season, and he’s excited about the future with more stations coming.
Oh, and if you want to stay updated, there’s a Northumberland WhatsApp community you can join for all the latest news. Just hop on WhatsApp, pick your community, and you’re in!