Plans to reopen the Leamside Line in North-east England are advancing with the appointment of global infrastructure consultancy AECOM. The 21-mile disused rail line is set to undergo a new assessment examining its feasibility, potential benefits, and opportunities for growth in jobs and housing along a reopened route.

Earlier this year, North East mayor Kim McGuinness pledged to fund the extension of the Metro to Washington using the northern section of the Leamside Line, marking the first such expansion in more than 30 years. AECOM will carry out detailed technical work on a new investment corridor to identify growth potential along the route.

Tobyn Hughes, director of transport at the North East Combined Authority, said: “Reopening the Leamside Line is essential not just for the North-east but the whole country. It will transform transport connections for many local communities, as well as hugely expanding rail capacity on the adjacent and congested East Coast Main Line. We welcome the appointment of AECOM to two commissions. The first of these is already underway and considers the technical aspects of reopening this strategically located route. A second commission will now look at the role the railway will play in unlocking new jobs and housing by developing a comprehensive high level economic growth strategy and spatial plan for the Leamside Investment Corridor. The Leamside Line is hugely important for the future of North-east England and transformative for transport in our region and beyond. We have already started detailed work on the first phase of the project – extending the Metro to Washington along the northern section of the Leamside Line, a project that mayor Kim McGuinness has committed to funding.”

The Leamside Line would allow slow-moving freight and local passenger services to be diverted away from the heavily used East Coast Main Line, unlocking capacity and enabling more services. It would also allow new local rail services through the heart of County Durham, with new stations potentially stimulating thousands of new homes and providing sustainable transport connections for towns with limited public transport options.

Richard Whitehead, chief executive Europe and India at AECOM, said: “AECOM is proud to be appointed to this critical project for the North East, which will not only free up capacity on the East Coast Main Line to boost connectivity, but also unlock significant economic and employment opportunities for local communities. The feasibility study, economic growth strategy and spatial growth plan represent important steps that will shape the scheme’s development and help ensure the project delivers maximum benefits for the region. Following AECOM’s role on the Northumberland Line, which saw the successful reopening of another former rail line in the region late last year, we are delighted to support this project through our deep bench of skills and the expertise of our local teams.”

The work will include a feasibility study for Leamside South, mapping costs, potential station locations, and technical aspects of the railway; a new Economic Growth Strategy alongside the Leamside Economic Investment Corridor; and a Spatial Growth Plan to chart housing, stations, and the line’s wider area of influence.

Image: Oliver Dixon