(22 Dec 2021, 5:04 pm)deanmachine wrote Read this article the other day, I'll believe it when I see it, I don't understand who would fund it if not Central Government? Nexus wouldn't be interested and neither would Durham, who else would pay for it?

The North East was awarded £600m recently through the City Regions Sustainable Transport Settlement - BUT the money being released is dependent on there being a Mayoral Combined Authority rather than the current two CAs (with one having a mayor) and transport being run by a "Joint Committee".
Release of the funds will only take place if the North East has a single CA and an elected mayor (as it the case in the other 7 city regions).

That's why in the Integrated Rail Plan is says "....the Government considers that the case for re-opening the Leamside route would be best considered as part of any future city region settlement."

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...uthorities