Leamside Line
APPG
All Party Parliamentary Group
for the Leamside Line
A new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Leamside Line launched in 2023 and is a forum which aims to keep Members of Parliament informed of the latest developments in our campaign to re-open the Leamside Line. It also gives MPs the opportunity to have open, cross-party discussions and engage with relevant external stakeholders.
Our mission statement is outlined below:
To campaign for the re-opening of the Leamside Line in full, which would provide significant economic, social and environmental benefits for the North East of England and positively impact the East Coast Main Line ensuring an uplift in capacity.
Cross-party coalition
The group is co-chaired by Sharon Hodgson MP (Labour, Washington and Sunderland West) and Paul Howell MP (Conservative, Sedgefield).
Both have championed the re-opening of the Leamside Line and have regularly added to debate in Parliament.
The Leamside Line APPG is also comprised of Officers from both houses:
Ian Levy MP (Blyth Valley), Peter Gibson MP (Darlington), Emma Lewell-Buck MP (South Tyneside), Mary Glindon MP (North Tyneside), Mary Foy MP (City of Durham), Julie Elliott MP (Sunderland Central), Liz Twist MP (Blaydon), Kate Osborne MP (Jarrow), Catherine McKinnell (Newcastle upon Tyne North), Baroness Quin, Baroness Grey-Thompson and Lord Shipley.
Meetings
