Latest news with #Wearmouth
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A1 dualling hit by lack of government 'enthusiasm'
A lack of "enthusiasm" from government officials for plans to dual a stretch of the A1 saw the project "frustrated", it has been claimed. The scheme to upgrade a 13-mile (20km) section of road between Morpeth and Ellingham was cancelled by the Labour government last year due to projections which suggested it would cost more than £500m. At an event ahead of local elections on 1 May, Councillor Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader of Northumberland's Conservatives, said his own party had also acted too slowly before being replaced in government. Councillor Scott Dickinson MBE, leader of the county's Labour group, said investment criteria was "very skewed to the south" of the country. The Conservative administration gave the green light to the A1 project in May last year having previously postponed it three times. However, it was then branded "unfunded and unaffordable" after Labour came to power in July. Wearmouth, who represents Morpeth Kirkhill and is bidding for re-election, told the hustings he was "disappointed". He said: "I have to say, I didn't find an awful lot of enthusiasm from some of the civil servants. "I think they frustrated that project along the route. It should have been much faster than it was. "It wasn't down to political will. Everyone, across the political spectrum, was always asking about it. This is something Labour MPs need to watch out for. "The Labour Party minister described it as poor value for money and that is something that we see time and time again in the North East." Referring to guidance from the Treasury on appraising politics, programmes and projects in terms of their financial impact known as the Green Book test, Wearmouth added: "We need to lobby to change that." Labour's Dickinson, who represents Druridge Bay and is again standing as a candidate there, agreed. "It is very skewed to the south with population and value-for-money arrangements which often brings lots of very beneficial infrastructure projects in the North out as being poor value for money when in fact they're not. "What I would say is we are still committed to improving infrastructure in the North." Natalie Younes, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Morpeth North ward, also said she was disappointed the A1 project had "stalled". However, she explained her party would focus on "smaller-scale projects that can have a big impact - for example, improving the safety of travel east to west by improving junctions and crossings, and tackling the choke points in Berwick, Alnwick and Morpeth". Haltwhistle's Reform candidate, Adam Howells, said his party would look to cut unnecessary spending if it took power. He said: "I think in general, one of the things we're looking at is going into the county council and looking at where spending is not required and where we're wasting council money." The Green Party was invited to the hustings but was unable to attend, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. It has been approached for comment. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Local elections 2025: Who is standing in my area? Who can vote in the May local elections? Northumberland County Council
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Northumberland A1 dualling hit by lack of government 'enthusiasm'
A lack of "enthusiasm" from government officials for plans to dual a stretch of the A1 saw the project "frustrated", it has been scheme to upgrade a 13-mile (20km) section of road between Morpeth and Ellingham was cancelled by the Labour government last year due to projections which suggested it would cost more than £ an event ahead of local elections on 1 May, Councillor Richard Wearmouth, deputy leader of Northumberland's Conservatives, said his own party had also acted too slowly before being replaced in Scott Dickinson MBE, leader of the county's Labour group, said investment criteria was "very skewed to the south" of the country. The Conservative administration gave the green light to the A1 project in May last year having previously postponed it three it was then branded "unfunded and unaffordable" after Labour came to power in July. Green Book test Wearmouth, who represents Morpeth Kirkhill and is bidding for re-election, told the hustings he was "disappointed".He said: "I have to say, I didn't find an awful lot of enthusiasm from some of the civil servants."I think they frustrated that project along the route. It should have been much faster than it was."It wasn't down to political will. Everyone, across the political spectrum, was always asking about it. This is something Labour MPs need to watch out for."The Labour Party minister described it as poor value for money and that is something that we see time and time again in the North East."Referring to guidance from the Treasury on appraising politics, programmes and projects in terms of their financial impact known as the Green Book test, Wearmouth added: "We need to lobby to change that." 'Still committed' Labour's Dickinson, who represents Druridge Bay and is again standing as a candidate there, agreed."It is very skewed to the south with population and value-for-money arrangements which often brings lots of very beneficial infrastructure projects in the North out as being poor value for money when in fact they're not."What I would say is we are still committed to improving infrastructure in the North."Natalie Younes, the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Morpeth North ward, also said she was disappointed the A1 project had "stalled".However, she explained her party would focus on "smaller-scale projects that can have a big impact - for example, improving the safety of travel east to west by improving junctions and crossings, and tackling the choke points in Berwick, Alnwick and Morpeth".Haltwhistle's Reform candidate, Adam Howells, said his party would look to cut unnecessary spending if it took said: "I think in general, one of the things we're looking at is going into the county council and looking at where spending is not required and where we're wasting council money."The Green Party was invited to the hustings but was unable to attend, the Local Democracy Reporting Service has been approached for comment. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Longer trains plan as new rail line fills up
A newly reopened railway line has attracted so many passengers that carriages may have to be added to trains to avoid people having to stand, a council said. The Northumberland Line, between Ashington and Newcastle, opened in December after being shut for 60 years but so far only half the six stations are in operation. County council deputy leader Richard Wearmouth said making the carriages longer was being considered to cope with demand, especially on busy Newcastle United match days. He described it as a "good problem" for the £298m project where passenger numbers are on course to hit five times the original estimate. The council thinks 250,000 journeys will have been made by Easter, against initial expectations of 50,000. Wearmouth said: "I have spent many years being told that this project would be a colossal failure and a waste of money, but with just three stations open it is showing just how successful it will be. "Currently, on matchdays and a number of other times, we are getting close to capacity where people are having to stand for their journey. "We might have to think about extending the trains." Wearmouth said the platforms were designed to accommodate longer trains and talks were being held with Network Rail and Northern about expanding the trains. The project had faced several delays and spiralling costs, with the route initially scheduled to open last summer. Stations at Ashington and Seaton Delaval opened in December, while Blyth Newsham opened last month. The remaining stations at Blyth Bebside, Northumberland Park and Bedlington are due to open throughout this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Northumberland Line reopens after 60 years Start date for 'groundbreaking' railway announced Railway line to open with only two stations ready Campaign group urges clarity on railway start date Northumberland Line
BBC News
11-04-2025
- BBC News
Northumberland Line longer trains plan as railway fills up
A newly reopened railway line has attracted so many passengers that carriages may have to be added to trains to avoid people having to stand, a council said. The Northumberland Line, between Ashington and Newcastle, opened in December after being shut for 60 years but so far only half the six stations are in operation. County council deputy leader Richard Wearmouth said making the carriages longer was being considered to cope with demand, especially on busy Newcastle United match described it as a "good problem" for the £298m project where passenger numbers are on course to hit five times the original estimate. The council thinks 250,000 journeys will have been made by Easter, against initial expectations of 50,000. Wearmouth said: "I have spent many years being told that this project would be a colossal failure and a waste of money, but with just three stations open it is showing just how successful it will be."Currently, on matchdays and a number of other times, we are getting close to capacity where people are having to stand for their journey. "We might have to think about extending the trains." Wearmouth said the platforms were designed to accommodate longer trains and talks were being held with Network Rail and Northern about expanding the project had faced several delays and spiralling costs, with the route initially scheduled to open last summer. Stations at Ashington and Seaton Delaval opened in December, while Blyth Newsham opened last month. The remaining stations at Blyth Bebside, Northumberland Park and Bedlington are due to open throughout this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
South West business says Trump's tariffs 'took us by surprise'
Exporting businesses in Devon and Cornwall have been reacting to US President Donald Trump's tariffs, with one company describing the extra tax as a "surprise".His universal 10% levy remains in place for the UK and all countries other than China after a 90-day pause announced on Wednesday for those initially given higher tariffs came into force shortly after midnight on Wednesday, with China now facing a levy of 125% after retaliating to Trump's Wearmouth, export sales manager at Bott Ltd in Bude, Cornwall, said the tariffs had taken the business "by surprise". 'A balancing act' He said: "We knew it was coming but I think the expectation was that it was going to be on raw materials rather than semi-finished products and finished products."Bott Ltd develops in-vehicle equipment and faces a 25% tariff - it employs 185 employees in Cornwall and 421 across the government said it would not be rushed into retaliatory measures after the US brought in the 10% import tax on nearly all UK products entering the US, on top of the 25% levies on aluminium, steel and Wearmouth said: "Mr Trump and his tariffs are an evolving situation... very dynamic. "I don't think anybody really knows what is around the corner, but we are faced with 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium products [after they were introduced] from 12 March."Mr Wearmouth said he hoped future discussions between the US and UK governments were successful."In the meantime, we've got a bit of a balancing act," he added: "Do we react quickly and add those 25% tariffs on the prices the US end users are paying today, or do we wait? "That's the challenge that we face as a business." Martin Gill, managing director at Vispring, a luxury mattress maker in Plymouth, said trade with the US accounted for "about 15%" of its global turnover. He said: "We send about 3,500 there per year."Personally, I think the UK got off lightly compared to other countries."Mr Gill said he thought the tariffs would "affect the American people more", adding he thought the uncertainty of the situation meant businesses had to be "adaptable". Teagle Machinery, a company based near St Agnes in Cornwall, employs about 150 people making agricultural machinery with a customer base in 40 countries, including the US. Managing director Tom Teagle said: "Our shipments to the US are significant for us - they represent about 10% of our turnover each year. "We actually have a salesman who lives in North Carolina who looks after Canada and the US for us. So we put a lot of investment into developing that market."He added: "We have to watch it very carefully but a 10% tariff in the overall cost of distribution is only still a relatively small amount. "So, working with our distributors, who are well-established over there, we would share the cost of the tariff." 'Second thought' John Brown, chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said businesses in Cornwall were being impacted by the said: "We have organisations that are exporting consumer goods, we have organisations that are exporting medical products into the US."Obviously we have a decent amount of food and drink that goes over there as well, so I think that there is certainly a level of exposure from Cornwall into the US."Mr Brown said he thought businesses in Cornwall would "take a second thought" about entering the US market due to the said: "It's being felt in a sense of nervousness, it's being felt in a sense of not being able to make decent, confident decisions, especially if you were looking at maybe entering the US market or increasing capacity and export into the US market."
