There are essentially 2 connectivity projects and 1 economic regeneration / connectivity projects that I am hopeful of getting support from the North East and Cumbria LEPs, Network Rail, DFT, and the respective County Councils. At the moment we are doing very well. I will have limited time but will be raising:
- A69 dualling west of Hexham to Carlisle: our aim is to get this project into the 2016-2021 Funding round of upgrades. Both I and John Stevenson have met and made the case to the Secretary of State for Transport. I have a further Meeting with the Highways Agency plus Rory Stewart + John Stevenson – on the 4th November at 11am in the House of Commons.
- Tyne Valley Line: we are pressing for electrification to connect the electrified services of the East Coast and West Coast Mainlines. Again our concern is to get into the long term economic plan and its timetable as this will not happen for several years, but without getting into the plan it will never happen! I have the Minister Claire Perry coming to the North East and seeing the line in January. I have an Electrification Task Force meeting with Andrew Jones MP, its chair, on 27th October at 16.00 in the House of Commons.
- Gilsland Station rebuild: This is moving forward slowly but surely, and I have had recent discussions with key COGS leaders. They have a meeting with key Northumberland County Council leaders on Thursday October 16th. to ensure that the NCC are fully behind the project. I recently met Network Rail and they are supportive albeit they are making the case for further work on the project management process called GRIP.
The benefits in terms of rural economic development and tourism
and connectivity again are significant. Gilsland Station starts in
Northumberland but ends in Cumbria. The Connectivity issues are well addressed in the One North report: