On a journey to greater connectivity in County Durham

The beginning of January saw the opening of Durham City’s new multi-million pound bus station, a major transport hub that is already helping people with their journeys within the city, county and North East.

But the council will not rest on its laurels as it seeks to make it easier for you and I to go about our daily journeys whether that be to work, go shopping, meet family and friends, or for a doctor's appointment.

Durham County Council has submitted a business case for a new rail link along the route of the old Weardale Railway. (Image: Durham County Council)

Delivering the new bus station is part of the local authority’s strategic approach to enhancing connectivity by providing the best possible transport network, be that improving public transport infrastructure and other sustainable transport provision such as walking and cycling routes, and new road schemes. Indeed, the council’s current programme of work is at its biggest ever level in terms of the investment being made in transport.

The bus station, which is located on the site of the former facility on North Road, is already being warmly received as a modern site that offers a welcoming space for residents and visitors alike, while they wait to make journeys within Durham, the county and region.

Not only is it helping people get from A to B, but it will, the council hopes, attract people into the city, supporting its businesses and cultural attractions. In doing so it will contribute to economic growth and sustain jobs – both key aims of the authority’s Inclusive Economic Strategy and central to its thinking in all its transport schemes.

Of course, it is not only Durham City that is benefitting from a new transport hub. Demolition work has begun that will see the council deliver a £11.8m modern new bus station and car park in Bishop Auckland, while the authority has been involved in the submission of business cases for both the reopening of Ferryhill railway station and a new rail link along the route of the old Weardale Railway.

The council’s strategic vision is that these schemes will encourage people to make more journeys by public transport rather than car, in line with its work to reduce carbon emissions for the benefit of the environment. Through its membership of the region’s Joint Transport Committee and funding from the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, the authority has also worked with bus companies to offer reduced fares, in order to encourage more people to use public transport.

Durham County Council is helping roll out cheaper bus fares (Image: Durham County Council)

On a similar theme, the council has also recently set aside up to £2.65m to allow it to continue its recent approach of stepping in to save bus services which residents rely on for employment, leisure and health. The authority will consider doing this where bus companies deem routes no longer viable and where there is sufficient funding available within the specified budget, so that some lifeline services for people can be preserved.

Staying on the subject of sustainable travel, the council continues to invest in delivering new walking and cycling routes. Late last year, it agreed to adopt Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans that will look at existing and potential new routes in 11 of its communities.

Of course the authority recognises that car remains the most popular form of transport and thus it continues to invest in road schemes. The council was successful in a bid for £20m of Levelling Up funding for Bishop Auckland which will pave the way for a new Toft Hill and Etherley bypass to be built, both reducing journey times and improving quality of life for residents in those communities by reducing the volume of traffic passing through. Elsewhere, the authority has either carried out or is planning work to upgrade a number of key routes across the county, including the A690, A167, A182 and B1404 Seaton Lane. These schemes are being delivered to improve access to employment hubs like Jade Business Park at Seaham and potential housing sites, as well as improve road safety.

Looking ahead, May of this year heralds the start of a new era for the North East with a new Mayoral Combined Authority taking on devolved powers from Westminster. This devolution brings with it the promise of some £900m for transport in the region and the council will be working with its partners to ensure that the benefits of this funding are felt in County Durham as well as the wider North East.