'Look beyond' cost to open rail line, locals say

Rail users have urged authorities to "look beyond" the immediate costs when considering whether to reopen a freight line to passengers.

The Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) said it was considering next steps after a feasibility report into the East Cleveland Rail Line - which runs between Saltburn and Boulby via Easington - suggested it could cost up to £329m.

Chair of the Tees Valley Line rail user group (TVL-RUG) Dr Craig Cartwright said East Cleveland did have a "genuine connectivity problem".

"A railway can connect people to jobs, colleges, healthcare and to other local businesses and, from our point of view, that's where the real value of this line lines up," he said.

The line serving Skelton, Brotton and Carlin How closed to passengers in 1960.

In the TVCA-commissioned report, consultants Arup said reopening was its preferred option but the immediate economic argument using the benefit cost ratio system was poor.

It said between £107m and £329m was needed for things like station construction, track renewal and signalling upgrades depending on where the trains terminated.

But Cartwright, who is from Redcar, said: "There is more to be taken into account than just the financial estimate."

TVL-RUG project coordinator Paul White, who is also from the area, said: "Once you go up the hill into Broughton and through to Carlin Howe and Skinningrove they're all generally quite run down.

"Socially, there's high unemployment, it's very difficult for youngsters to find work."

The report said reopening was a "transformative opportunity" to address inequality, adding Redcar and Cleveland exhibited a "pronounced east–west divide in deprivation, access and opportunity".

White added winter conditions in the hilly areas regularly saw buses "grind to a halt".

"The consequence of that, in the longer term, is that kids who are going on to further education, the missed days and whatnot, in the end, they just give up," he said.

Cartwright said there were "beautiful sections" on the line and it could boost visitor numbers in the former industrial area.

"There's a lot of history, there's a lot of potential for tourism, but it's never going to materialise unless we get that train link," White said.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: "Ensuring the people of East Cleveland have the transport they need and deserve to access the good quality, well paid jobs being created is vital.

"This has been a very thorough piece of work by industry experts – and we now have a good idea of the costs, the significant extra money we'd need to attract from the government and options involved to introduce passenger services on the freight line.

"We'll now be working together on next steps to improve all forms of connectivity in the region to get more people linked up with jobs."

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