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Monday 24 Jun 2019

County Councillor visits newly improved Northumberland station

Region & Route:

Eastern

Prudhoe South County Councillor and Chairman of Tynedale Local Area Council, Gordon Stewart visited Prudhoe railway station on Thursday, 20 June to see the improvements which have been carried out by Network Rail and Northern.

As part of the Great North Rail Project, work has taken place at three stations in Northumberland. Prudhoe, Riding Mill and Bardon Mill stations on the Tyne Valley line have all seen extensions to platforms, which will enable newer, longer trains with more seats to call at the station and will improve passenger experience.

The projects at both Prudhoe and Riding Mill stations are now complete, with Bardon Mill expected to complete later this month.

Mick Hodgson, Operations Manager for Network Rail, said: “We are delighted to be here today to mark the completion of this vital work to Prudhoe railway station. Work has also taken place at Riding Mill station and continues at Bardon Mill.

“This work along the Tyne Valley line means that longer trains with more seats are able to call at the stations, which will improve the service and benefit station users.”

Gordon Stewart, Prudhoe South County Councillor and Chairman of the Tynedale Local Area Council, said: "This investment will provide a valuable boost for tourism and employment opportunities not only for Prudhoe but other parts of the Tyne Valley".

Commenting on the completion of work to improve Prudhoe Station Guy Opperman MP said: “I am delighted that the local community here in Prudhoe will benefit from this significant investment as part of the Great North Rail Project.

“I am committed to seeing continued improvements along the Tyne Valley line and this work in Prudhoe, along with Riding Mill and Bardon Mill, is exactly what we need. It will give local residents, commuters and visitors the opportunity for more frequent trains and a better journey experience.”

Anna Weeks, Regional Director at Northern, said: “We’re delighted to have worked closely with Network Rail to deliver these improvements for our customers.

“The enhancements at Prudhoe are tangible proof that we are improving our network and go hand-in-hand with the refurbishment of our entire fleet of trains, the other improvements we are making at stations and, of course, the extra services we are now offering.”

ENDS