09.01.19
£10.6m Horden station gets the green light
Proposals to build a new £10.55m railway station in East Durham by 2020 have been given the go-ahead today after being granted planning permission.
Two 100-metre platforms will be built at Horden, near Peterlee, along with a footbridge connecting the platforms, a 136-space car park and bus stops.
Network Rail has reportedly been working with Durham County Council on the project, which will now see initial work begin during the next few weeks.
The DfT will also provide £4.4m to the scheme from its New Stations Fund, along with a grant from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.
The leader of Durham County Council, Simon Henig, commented: “The new station will significantly improve transport links in the east of the county, providing a boost to the economy and widening employment opportunities for local residents.
“It has been a long time in the making with a lot of hard work involved so it is particularly pleasing that work can now start on a project that will also have knock-on benefits for the wider county.”
The station will link Horden into the local and regional national rail network, with projections anticipating that more than 70,000 passengers could use the station each year.
Rail minster Andrew Jones said: “This is another success story for the government’s New Stations Fund and further demonstrates our commitment to delivering better journeys across the north.
“Alongside major investment in the £2.9bn TransPennine route upgrade and the £780m East Coast mainline upgrade, this new station will improve journey times and connections across the region.
“I look forward to seeing the new Horden station providing much-needed new rail links for passengers and a boost to the local economy.”
A public consultation on the plans in 2016 saw 98.6% of the 1,400 respondents saying they would use the station.
It is estimated that the new station will be open to passengers by spring 2020.
Rob McIntosh, Route Managing Director for Network Rail, said: ““This vital project will make sure we can continue to provide a railway which meets the needs of the communities and economies we serve.
“We are delighted to be working with Durham County Council, North East Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for Transport on the design and delivery of the new station for Horden, which will bring significant benefit for passengers and to the community.”
Peter Myers, stakeholders manager at Network Rail, added that he was “thrilled” to be supporting the opening and said the station will provide useful transport links for residents who work in Newcastle, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Teeside.