On advice from DfT, Northern Railway have pulled out of the public meeting with SENRUG on Tuesday 1st November, at which they were due to give a presentation and update on the Northumberland Line, fuelling speculation that the project itself is in jeopardy. We have been unable to find an alternative speaker for next Tuesday’s slot at such short notice, therefore SENRUG’s Public Meeting scheduled for next Tuesday is cancelled. I must say I find the actions of Northern Railway and their advisors at DfT quite extraordinary. We, like everyone, understand that all areas of government activity and expenditure are going to be reviewed by the new government. However, even as I write, work on the Northumberland line is proceeding, with a residents’ communication letter going out this week on the next phase of work at Northumberland Park. Elsewhere in the rail industry, Network Rail has just launched their consultation on the TransPennine route upgrade. It is not the case that everything is on hold, and at this stage, I have no specific reason to believe the Northumberland Line project is in jeopardy. A bit like how we all feel when we need to be somewhere and our train is cancelled, I suspect someone somewhere has no idea as to the impact and inconvenience of cancelling an event which is already scheduled and well publicised in our community with venue booked and other financial commitments made.
