Northumberland Line: Residents call for revised parking plans

Residents who live in the railway cottages have been allocated 12 parking bays for 16 homes

Residents are calling for the council to revise plans for parking near a new £160m rail line in Northumberland.

The Northumberland Line will see six stations open by December 2023 between Newcastle and Ashington, restoring passenger services lost in the 1960s.

But residents of railway cottages at Newsham near Blyth say they are being "ignored" after raising parking issues with the authority.

Northumberland County Council says it has "already compromised all it can".

The new station will have parking for 200 cars, but those living closest to the line have been allocated 12 parking bays for 16 homes.

The residents say they offered a solution to the council to build more car parking on cleared land, but the council said they would have to pay for it.

Among those complaining is Wallis Bath who said: "It should be the case we celebrate the fact that there's going to be a railway line and not have to resist it on the grounds of a basic necessity such as parking."

Resident Jill Watson, said: "To suddenly tell people that to access the paper shop, you've got to go through a car park, over a bridge, through another car park, it just doesn't ring right."

The level crossing which is used to access nearby shops is due to close because of "safety reasons", meaning residents will face a long detour.

Resident Ian Gould said: "It just seems like we're just being bullied by the council into having this and everything that we've sent to them and our concerns have just been dismissed as if it's nothing."

Councillor Jeff Reid said residents had come forward with a "perfectly sensible solution" and to be told it was unaffordable was "ridiculous".

"The county council need to think again," he added.

Neil Blagburn, Northumberland line programme delivery director, said: "Ultimately we think that there's been enough consultation and enough changes made, we've been flexible in those designs.

"We are now on with the construction of the project. To go back now and start redesigning, would ultimately result in a delay to the scheme which nobody can tolerate or afford."

Half-hourly passenger service are set for the 18-mile line, stopping at Bedlington, Blyth, Bebside, Newsham, Seaton Delaval and Northumberland Park Metro station.