£30m bridge over rail line opens to traffic

The opening of the bridge means the level crossing at Newsham will be closed to traffic and pedestrians

A £30m road bridge is due to open to traffic on Thursday evening as part of the final stages of work to reopen a railway line.

The 18-mile Northumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington will begin passenger services this summer, six decades after they ended.

Construction costs for Newsham Bridge were estimated to be just over £11m in 2021 before spiralling, with inflation blamed for the rise.

The opening of the bridge will mean a nearby level crossing will close to traffic and pedestrians.

Bus stops at Blagdon Drive will also close and be replaced by new ones on the A1061 South Newsham Road.

Construction costs rose to almost three times the 2021 estimates

It was initially hoped the Northumberland Line would open with six stations, but Bedlington, Bebside and Northumberland Park have been hit by construction delays and are not due to open to passengers until 2025.

Dennis Fancett, chair of the South East Northumberland Rail Users Group (Senrug), said: "With the new Newsham Road bridge operational, the opening of the first phase of the Northumberland Line can surely not be far away.

"However, it is now time for a specific opening date to be announced and for tickets to be placed on sale, so that passengers can start booking Ashington to London tickets for instance."

A Northumberland County Council spokesman confirmed services were still anticipated services to start this summer.

As part of the same project, the A189 Spine Road will be closed overnight from 20:00 BST on 3 August until 06:00 on 5 August.

It is for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge, serving the station at Blyth Bebside, to be installed.