Tees Valley Metro
Encyclopedia
The Tees Valley Metro is a project to upgrade the Tees Valley Line
and sections of the Esk Valley Line
and Durham Coast Line
to provide a faster and more frequent service. In the initial phases the services will be heavy rail mostly along existing alignments. The later phase may introduce tram-train
s to allow street running
. The project is backed by all the local authorities through which the system would run, with the authorities being Darlington
, Hartlepool
, Middlesbrough
, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-On-Tees
. Support has also been forthcoming from the Department for Transport
.
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The expected initial routes will use sections of the Tees Valley
, Esk Valley
and Durham Coast Line
s. There are no current plans as to the interoperability of the continuing services and the new metro services. This will be considered at the next stage of the process. Several new stations will be built along the routes in two stages. After stage two additional routes using street running may be considered.
These improvements are estimated to cost £30 – 40 million.
The second stage of Phase 1 is due to be completed in December 2014, after the renewal of the current Northern Rail
franchise.
Refurbishment of other stations on Route 1
The cost of these improvements is estimated at £50 – 60 million.
and Middlesbrough
, and on the Durham Coast Line between Middlesbrough and Hartlepool
; new stations at Morton Palms, Middlehaven, The Ings and Nunthorpe Parkway are proposed, and a further reduction in journey times between Darlington and Stockton.
has already committed £40 million for signalling improvements. The second phase would cost a further £140 million and would be in place by 2018.
On 23 July 2009 the project received in-principle funding from the Department for Transport
via the Regional Funding Allocation process. Each of the individual components is being treated as an individual project, eligible for fast track funding. Funding is expected for the two new platforms at Darlington, the reopening of platform 3 at Middlesbrough, the relocation of Teesside Airport station to within 350 m of the terminal building, improvements at Eaglescliffe, Thornaby and Hartlepool, including new lifts and footbridges, and the new station at James Cook University Hospital. Reports mentioned a possible new station between Middlesbrough and Redcar Central, proposed as a new station for Wilton International, reopening Grangetown Station or improving and bringing South Bank station fully into use, or relocating Redcar British Steel station As well as the infrastructure improvements the improved rolling stock and increased frequency for trains will be introduced.
Tees Valley Line
The Tees Valley Line is a name for the railway route between Bishop Auckland and Saltburn via Darlington and Middlesbrough. Also operated on the line are services from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Middlesbrough and Saltburn via Darlington....
and sections of the Esk Valley Line
Esk Valley Line
The Esk Valley Line is the railway line from Middlesbrough to Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. The route follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half....
and Durham Coast Line
Durham Coast Line
The Durham Coast Line is the name given to the railway line which links Newcastle upon Tyne with Middlesbrough, via Sunderland and Hartlepool...
to provide a faster and more frequent service. In the initial phases the services will be heavy rail mostly along existing alignments. The later phase may introduce tram-train
Tram-train
A tram-train is a light-rail public transport system where trams run both on an urban tramway network and on main-line railways to combine the tram's flexibility and availability and the train's greater speed...
s to allow street running
Street running
On-street running or street running is when a railroad track or tramway track runs directly along city streets, without any separation. The rails are embedded in the road....
. The project is backed by all the local authorities through which the system would run, with the authorities being Darlington
Darlington (borough)
Darlington is a local government district and borough in North East England. In 2008 it had a resident population of 100,500 It borders County Durham to the north and west, North Yorkshire to the south along the line of the River Tees, and Stockton-on-Tees to the east.-Council:Traditionally part of...
, Hartlepool
Hartlepool (borough)
Hartlepool is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of County Durham, north east England. In 2003 it had a resident population of 90,161. It borders the non-metropolitan county of County Durham to the north, Stockton-on-Tees to the south and Redcar and Cleveland to the south-east along the...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough (borough)
-External links:*...
, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-On-Tees
Stockton-on-Tees (borough)
Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority area and borough in the Tees Valley area of north east England, with a population in 2001 of 178,408, rising to 185,880 in 2005 estimates....
. Support has also been forthcoming from the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
.
Route
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The expected initial routes will use sections of the Tees Valley
Tees Valley Line
The Tees Valley Line is a name for the railway route between Bishop Auckland and Saltburn via Darlington and Middlesbrough. Also operated on the line are services from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Middlesbrough and Saltburn via Darlington....
, Esk Valley
Esk Valley Line
The Esk Valley Line is the railway line from Middlesbrough to Whitby in North Yorkshire, England. The route follows the course of the River Esk for much of its eastern half....
and Durham Coast Line
Durham Coast Line
The Durham Coast Line is the name given to the railway line which links Newcastle upon Tyne with Middlesbrough, via Sunderland and Hartlepool...
s. There are no current plans as to the interoperability of the continuing services and the new metro services. This will be considered at the next stage of the process. Several new stations will be built along the routes in two stages. After stage two additional routes using street running may be considered.
Detailed plans
The project is planned to be delivered in two phases, with the first phase split into stages.Phase 1
Initial work could be complete by December 2012 and include:- A reduction in journey time by around 5 minutes between Darlington and Saltburn.
- An increase in services from 1–2 to four trains per hour on the Tees Valley Line between DarlingtonDarlington railway stationDarlington railway station, also known as Darlington Bank Top, is the main railway station for the town of Darlington, in the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The station is located on the East Coast Main Line north of London Kings Cross....
and SaltburnSaltburn railway stationSaltburn Railway Station serves the town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea in the borough of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is the terminus of the Tees Valley Line and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all passenger train services... - Additional platforms at Darlington station on the eastern side of the station to reduce the need for local services to cross the East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main LineThe East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
. - Possible new platforms at MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough railway stationMiddlesbrough railway station serves the large town of Middlesbrough in the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The station is managed by First TransPennine Express and has two platforms...
. - Refurbished Class 156 "Sprinters"British Rail Class 156The British Rail Class 156 Super Sprinter is a diesel multiple-unit train . 114 of these units were built from 1987 to 1989 by Metro-Cammell at its Washwood Heath Works in Birmingham...
rolling stock. - Relocation of Tees-side Airport station to serve Durham Tees Valley AirportDurham Tees Valley AirportDurham Tees Valley Airport is an international airport in north east England, located southeast of Darlington, about southwest of Middlesbrough and south of Durham. The airport serves County Durham and parts of North Yorkshire, and is in Middleton St George in the borough of Darlington...
better. - A station at Wilton.
- A new station at James Cook University HospitalJames Cook University HospitalThe James Cook University Hospital is a 1010 bed major tertiary referral hospital and district general hospital in Middlesbrough, England, lying on Marton Road, a major route into the centre of Middlesbrough . It forms part of the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, along with the Friarage...
. - Improvements to existing stations at EaglescliffeEaglescliffe railway stationEaglescliffe railway station serves the town of Eaglescliffe in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees. It is located on the Tees Valley Line at the junction with the Northallerton-Eaglescliffe Line and is operated by Northern Rail...
, ThornabyThornaby railway stationThornaby railway station serves the town of Thornaby-on-Tees and due to having better connections than Stockton railway station also much of Stockton-on-Tees. It is located in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees and in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and HartlepoolHartlepool railway stationHartlepool railway station serves the town of Hartlepool within the borough of Hartlepool and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The railway station is located on the Durham Coast Line north of Middlesbrough. The station is operated and served by Northern Rail...
.
These improvements are estimated to cost £30 – 40 million.
The second stage of Phase 1 is due to be completed in December 2014, after the renewal of the current Northern Rail
Northern Rail
Northern Rail is a British train operating company that has operated local passenger services in Northern England since 2004. Northern Rail's owner, Serco-Abellio, is a consortium formed of Abellio and Serco, an international operator of public transport systems...
franchise.
- New stations at Teesside Park, Morton Palms and Middlehaven.
- New rolling stock, Class 172 TurbostarBritish Rail Class 172The Class 172 is a type of diesel multiple unit of the Turbostar family, similar to the Class 168, Class 170 and Class 171.-Technical details and variants :There will be four sub-types:*Class 172/0 - two-car units in operation with London Overground...
is most likely.
Refurbishment of other stations on Route 1
The cost of these improvements is estimated at £50 – 60 million.
Phase 2
This phase includes improvements to the Esk Valley Line between NunthorpeNunthorpe railway station
Nunthorpe railway station serves the town of Nunthorpe within the borough of Middlesbrough in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is located on the Esk Valley Line and is operated by Northern Rail who provide all of the station's passenger services. One of the two passing loops...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough railway station
Middlesbrough railway station serves the large town of Middlesbrough in the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The station is managed by First TransPennine Express and has two platforms...
, and on the Durham Coast Line between Middlesbrough and Hartlepool
Hartlepool railway station
Hartlepool railway station serves the town of Hartlepool within the borough of Hartlepool and the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. The railway station is located on the Durham Coast Line north of Middlesbrough. The station is operated and served by Northern Rail...
; new stations at Morton Palms, Middlehaven, The Ings and Nunthorpe Parkway are proposed, and a further reduction in journey times between Darlington and Stockton.
Current status
The project received approval from the Interim Regional Transport Board in September 2008, allowing more detailed plans and a public consultation to go ahead. If approved and funded, construction of the first phase may commence in 2010 and should be completed by the end of 2013. Phase one would cost around £80 million and Network RailNetwork Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
has already committed £40 million for signalling improvements. The second phase would cost a further £140 million and would be in place by 2018.
On 23 July 2009 the project received in-principle funding from the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
via the Regional Funding Allocation process. Each of the individual components is being treated as an individual project, eligible for fast track funding. Funding is expected for the two new platforms at Darlington, the reopening of platform 3 at Middlesbrough, the relocation of Teesside Airport station to within 350 m of the terminal building, improvements at Eaglescliffe, Thornaby and Hartlepool, including new lifts and footbridges, and the new station at James Cook University Hospital. Reports mentioned a possible new station between Middlesbrough and Redcar Central, proposed as a new station for Wilton International, reopening Grangetown Station or improving and bringing South Bank station fully into use, or relocating Redcar British Steel station As well as the infrastructure improvements the improved rolling stock and increased frequency for trains will be introduced.
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