Local politicians and infrastructure stakeholders say that UK’s northeast region is disadvantaged by a lack of modern freight facilities. There are calls for this ‘neglected’ part of England to step up and be counted.
For many, the freight scene around the North East of England conjures up memories of a network of coal trains and shunting yards, serving heavy industry and the huge mining industries of the region. As a cradle of the Industrial Revolution, the area around the valleys of the Tyne and Tees rivers was criss-crossed with branch lines, serving hundreds of collieries, and supporting tens of thousands of jobs in heavy industry.
Modern manufacturing future
The scene is very different now, with much of that infrastructure swept away, even though the region heads towards a cleaner, greener, high-tech and modern manufacturing future.
That future though is being held back by a legacy of out-dated freight facilities and a lack of modern handling capacity. So says the leader of one local authority, synonymous with the industries of days gone by. “As a region with a large manufacturing sector, ensuring the best access to markets for goods produced in the region will be ever more critical”, says Simon Henig, the leader of Durham County Council, writing in a regional daily newspaper. “There are many opportunities for the North East to position itself as a place that can re-establish growth. The opportunities for green growth are particularly important.”