Campaign to reopen Leamside railway line gathers steam
Campaigners have called on the government to reopen the Leamside railway line between County Durham and Gateshead.
More than 1,800 people have signed a petition calling for the reopening of the Leamside railway line between County Durham and Gateshead.
The line runs from Pelaw to Ferryhill, via Washington and Penshaw. It was closed 53 years ago and mothballed in 1991, but now campaigners want it reopened as part of the government's Integrated Rail Plan.
Teenager, Logan Guy, is one of the campaigners. He told ITV News Tyne Tees he had never been on a train until the age of 16 and would like to have the connectivity a nearby line would offer.
He said: "We're completely disconnected from most of the region. Even from our own city to a certain extent.
The Washington and West Sunderland MP, Sharon Hodgson, presented the petition in parliament on Wednesday and said all the MPs who represent constituencies that take in the line are in favour of reinstating it.
She said it is imperative for jobs, transport and the local economy across the North East region.
A spokesperson from the Department for Transport said: "“Restoring the Leamside Line is being considered as part of our Integrated Rail Plan, which is focused on how we can best deliver rail projects and better journeys for passengers across the North and Midlands.”
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