Yes to the Leamside Line

Having run between Pelaw, Gateshead and Tursdale, County Durham, the Leamside line closed in 1964.

Reopening would allow for an extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington while freeing capacity for more services on the East Coast Main Line by providing an alternative path for freight trains.

Aidan would re-instate the Leamside Line.  This would be both of economic, political and strategic benefit to our region.  But as everything how would other candidates pay for this?  Aidan is clear that the money created by the North East Wind Asset (NEWA) would be first used for the re-instatement of this strategic asset for the region.  There would also be a mayoralty developement area following the course of the leamside line allowing the building of new gousing and community assets along in the line, with an associated industrial estate.