Category Archives: News

Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG Meeting: 1st July 2026

Another great meeting of the Northumberland Branch tonight, with much discussion on buses, rail services (ECML, Northumberland Line, and Tyne Valley Line), and also of cycling integration with rail too. Membership is FREE, with the chance to have a real say in better buses, trains, and more! Why not sign up now? We aim toContinue reading “Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG Meeting: 1st July 2026”

Cllr Hunter, why not Berwick to Blyth by rail, not road for young people to access education, training, and employment?

A recent article by Cllr Hunter of Berwick, who also owns a road haulage business called DHH Contracts, has joined many of the voices calling for dualling the A1. In the article, she says that the lack of dual carriageway leads to vehicles being delayed, increasing costs such as driver hours and fuel, especially ifContinue reading “Cllr Hunter, why not Berwick to Blyth by rail, not road for young people to access education, training, and employment?”

2026: The time for the ECML to do more for transport to, from, within, and through Northumberland alongside the A1?

In recent news, it has been revealed that in 2025, around eleven million tourists visited Northumberland, a new record, and the A1 has been stated to be a ‘key problem’, but does this overlook the role the ECML, other rail links and buses could be playing to reduce this key problem and enable more sustainableContinue reading “2026: The time for the ECML to do more for transport to, from, within, and through Northumberland alongside the A1?”

Bedlington Station opening: The end of the beginning?

Yesterday evening, Sunday 29th March, I travelled down to Bedlington station to see the final Northumberland Line station for myself, and one close to my heart as a born and bred Bedlingtonian! It is fantastic to see the town I grew up in once again reconnected to national network, but as the title suggests, IContinue reading “Bedlington Station opening: The end of the beginning?”

NEWS: NEPTUG Northumberland Branch

It was a delight yesterday (Wednesday 4th March 2026) to be a part of establishing the Northumberland Branch of the North East Public Transport Users Group (NEPTUG). There are branches for most parts of the North East active, with the branches covering local authority areas, so there is a Newcastle Branch and North Tyneside BranchContinue reading “NEWS: NEPTUG Northumberland Branch”

Northumberland Line million passenger milestone, Northumberland Park opening, and the N.C.L. for Edinburgh to Amsterdam via Port of Tyne?

The success of the Northumberland Line keeps being proven: passenger numbers pass 1,000,000 since opening! On Friday 23rd January 2026, an event was held at Blyth Bebside station to mark the millionth passenger journey on the Northumberland Line since opening just 405 days before on Sunday 15th December 2024, as shown in this article fromContinue reading “Northumberland Line million passenger milestone, Northumberland Park opening, and the N.C.L. for Edinburgh to Amsterdam via Port of Tyne?”

Digital PAYG rail ticketing tested by Green Signals: A potential fix to the recent Pop card problems?

Please watch the video below from Green Signals about the digital pay as you go trial by East Midlands Railway, but a system that could have clear potential in places like Northumberland where many smaller stations are unlikely to get the infrastructure seen at major stations like Newcastle Central. A solution to current Pop cardContinue reading “Digital PAYG rail ticketing tested by Green Signals: A potential fix to the recent Pop card problems?”

Lord Hendy backs extra Northumberland Line carriages: the N.C.L. an answer?

In a recent article from the Northumberland Gazette ‘Rail minister backs plans for additional carriages on the Northumberland Line‘, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, the Rail Minister has backed the calls for extra carriages to be sourced for the Northumberland Line. To quote from the article; ‘In the letter to Cllr Sanderson, seen by theContinue reading “Lord Hendy backs extra Northumberland Line carriages: the N.C.L. an answer?”

Northumberland Coast Loop station usage 2024/25: 1.245 million passengers in total.

With the recent publication of passenger figures for all of the existing railway stations in Northumberland in the Northumberland Gazette, a little analysis reveals the current and potential volumes of passengers who use these twelve stations between Berwick and Manors. The table above shows the stations on the proposed Northumberland Coast Loop from Berwick UponContinue reading “Northumberland Coast Loop station usage 2024/25: 1.245 million passengers in total.”