(01 Sep 2026, 4:19 pm)Adrian wrote Ah, you've got me there! It must be true if it's on SkyScraperCity...
To take a few of the comments on there:
"In Washington itself I’m not convinced by the station locations, park and ride or provision for connecting public transport. They seem intent on serving 3 industrial estates as if commuter traffic will be inward not outward." - Washington North would benefit Nissan, yes, but Usworth and Sulgrave are two densely populated areas versus other parts of Washington. You have to remember that Sulgrave built upwards. There's also the land right next to the station site that has long been earmarked for housing. The 50/56 also stop right outside of it. Washington South is also serving Teal Farm, Columbia and Fatfield, though I agree the bus integration for this one needs to be better worked out. A location further along the line would have worked better for South imo, but you don't really have a lot of choice to deviate!
"No P&R plans for Washington South seem a big miss." - Why is it? I'd have liked to have seen one at Usworth, and indeed it was on an earlier plan that I saw, but realistically it's a 6 minute drive away from Follingsby, and most of Washington sits on that arterial road (the A195/Northumberland Way) to get there. Those parts that don't, e.g. Ayton and Blackfell and get there (via the A194) in about 2/3 minutes more than it'd take to get down to Swan/Barmston Court.
"This whole proposal is utterly ridiculous and the birth child of petty North East parochialism thats now going to waste a billion quid." - I'm surprised NEMSA spend money on professionals to come in and carry out technical, strategic and business assessments for them, when they could listen to people like this on SCC. What he may refer to as 'petty North East perochialism' is actually the North East getting a bite at the cherry for once. The North East overall receives the lowest transport investment to any other region by some margin: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/res...2025-0170/
"Surely a Washington branch from Pelaw would have been a cheaper and easier start." - I understand the point, but I'd suggest it would significantly weaken the business case. Baring in mind the long-term aim is still to get the Leamside south open, so that Viaduct has to be tackled at some point. The link to Sunderland provides a massively improved access to jobs in the City, not to mention leisure and the night-time economy. It links up to everything Sunderland have been doing in and around Vaux, Sheepfolds, the Stadium and on to Seaburn. It also provides a really handy fall-back for trains not being blocked in the event of disruption.
"However without an A19 park and ride station I think this just hasn't been thought through" - I'm not sure Washington is the best place for an A19 park and ride station personally. I don't think people will travel to Washington to park their car, when they could just as easily use the existing long-stay at Heworth or the car park at Fellgate. Neither of which, I believe, are bursting at the seams?
"I think they’re using Leamside as an easy, populist option, but it skirts Washington‘s east side, and isn’t going to tempt people to use it with a 1-2 mile walk to get to a station…" - I tend to agree, but by the very nature of a railway, it can't operate on everyone's doorstep. The plan is for buses to be under public control by then, so I think it's a reasonable expectation that we'll see changes to the Washington mini bus network that links people up to a Metro station as part of an integrated solution. Washington also has excellent cycling access, given most of the new town was built with a network of subways. It's possible to travel to most parts without using a major road.
I think the points around the alignment along Cox Green needs some additional explanation, but I suspect it's to avoid having the Metro going right between two houses. The former station house and the build to the rear. Once you get the dual track in, there'd not be a lot of space for lineside equipment or OHL.
Some valid points, I can't really comment though as they're not my opinions to be fair. The Washington South P&R I believe was more about people coming from Houghton Le Spring etc rather than Washington itself though. By the time you've messed around getting to Follingsby you will won't be a kick in the teeth from being at Team Valley going the way you'd head to Newcastle so isn't very attractive.
I do agree there tbf.
(01 Sep 2026, 6:37 pm)PH - BQA wrote Am I missing something with South Hylton, why can't the bank remain open with a level crossing as seen elsewhere on the network? I get that they'd need track realignment and that the space isn't there with the station in its current location which is why they're moving it - but it's moving to the east?
New level crossings are pretty much banned on new lines, whether they should be is another debate but I'd assume that is why, It's no doubt for having to bridge all the roads around Cox Green which aren't busy at all.