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National
Jonathan Walker

Boris Johnson says his 'ambition' is to re-open Ferryhill rail station

Boris Johnson has been asked to back plans to re-open a railway station at Ferryhill in County Durham.

And speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Johnson said he would make it his "ambition" to attend the official station re-opening.

He was responding to Sedgefield MP Paul Howell, who urged the Prime Minister to tell the Department for Transport to support re-opening the station.

Mr Howell is leading calls to re-open the station, a few miles south of Durham, which was closed during the Beeching Cuts of the 1960s.

Sedgefield MP Paul Howell (Newcastle Chronicle)

He has also written to the Prime Minister, and argued that bringing trains back to Ferryhill would show the Conservatives were serious about supporting communities in so-called "red wall" areas that voted Tory at the last election.

The MP said in the letter: "The re-opening of Ferryhill station in the heart of my constituency of Sedgefield would be a comparitively low-cost project which will open up the north's railways system to many who need it.

"The project of restoring Ferryhill is shovel-ready, and is certain to create and secure jobs, level up the north and re-connect a forgotten corner of this country that have placed their trust in us.

"The impact of investing in this station would be immensely significant as a statement of intent in reinforcing with people of Sedgefield that we do care, we do mean what we said and we will invest in them."

Speaking in the Commons, he said: "As we exit the pandemic, it is critical that we not only stimulate the UK economy, but start the important process of levelling up."

He added: "Can I also ask him to join me in opening the station at Ferryhill that I'm sure he's going to ask the Transport Secretary to approve?"

Mr Johnson told him: "Whether it's 300,00 homes that we want to build every year, massive investment in gigabit broadband, huge investment in railways and roads, I will make sure that I add to that an ambition to come and see Ferryhll station launched with him."

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