Government Backs Revival of Long-Closed Leamside Railway Line

A long-mooted plan to revive a railway closed more than six decades ago has moved closer to reality after receiving government backing, giving fresh momentum to one of the North East’s most ambitious transport proposals.

Officials confirmed that development work on the Leamside Line will advance under the Northern Powerhouse Rail programme. The route stretches from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham and has been dormant since being swept up in widespread rail cuts around 60 years ago.

If reopened, the line would allow passenger trains to serve communities including Ferryhill, Shincliffe, Belmont, West Rainton and Penshaw. It is also expected to play a strategic role for freight, offering an alternative corridor that could ease pressure on the busy East Coast Main Line between York and Newcastle.

Local leaders argue the project could significantly improve connectivity across the region. Estimates suggest as many as 100,000 people could gain improved access to rail services, with the scheme also intended to support a future extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Andrew Husband, Reform UK leader of Durham County Council, said:

"It would help to connect thousands of residents without access to rail, to major employers, towns and cities across the region."

Momentum behind the project has been building in recent years. Funding was agreed in 2025 to restore the northern section of the disused route as part of a new Washington loop on the Tyne and Wear Metro, while wider plans for the north include enhancements to rail services serving Durham, Darlington and Newcastle.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

"My region deserves major investment in transport and that's what we're delivering, ensuring Northern Powerhouse Rail services reach Newcastle, via Darlington and Durham."

Northern Powerhouse Rail sits at the heart of the government’s broader Northern Growth Strategy, which aims to combine transport investment with job creation, new housing and increased economic development across the north of England.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to draw a line under years of unfulfilled commitments to the region. He said:

"This cycle has to end. No more paying lip service to the potential of the north, but backing it to the hilt,"

Image: Oliver Dixon