The government has been accused of a U-turn that could “cut the North East out” of critical rail upgrades.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced during his Autumn statement on Thursday that ministers would deliver the “core” of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) – a long-awaited project to boost connections across the North. But local officials fear that will mean that a reopening of the Leamside Line, described as the “most important infrastructure investment for the region”, has been pushed out of the plans.
Liz Truss had previously pledged that she would build Northern leaders’ full vision for NPR, reversing a £25bn cut to the scheme that was scaled back by Boris Johnson’s government last year. But hopes of restoring the mothballed Leamside Line, which runs between Pelaw in Gateshead and Tursdale in County Durham, have been dampened once again by Mr Hunt’s statement.
