First Services For More Than 30 Years Depart New Hartlepool Platform After Revamp Completed

A new platform to increase the number of train services at Hartlepool Station has been completed and seen a successful first month in operation.

The £12million overhaul has seen the Tees Valley Combined Authority, Network Rail, Northern, and Hartlepool Borough Council work together to bring the station’s second platform back into use alongside a new footbridge.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen visited the platform with Cllr Karen Oliver, Chair of Hartlepool Borough Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee and member of the TVCA’s Transport Committee, and David Ball, Network Rail’s senior project sponsor on Friday (12 July).

Figures on June’s use are still being officially processed but station operators have reported a passenger numbers boost on the back of the work being completed.

A 53-tonne accessible footbridge complete with lifts has made journeys easier for passengers using the station, and the reopened stop will allow Northern to increase their services on the Durham Coast (Middlesbrough to Newcastle via Hartlepool) from one train per hour, to three trains every two hours.

Hartlepool saw its main second platform close in 1990 – and previous statistics showed it was one of the busiest single platform stations in the UK before the improvements, with more than 650,000 journeys taken from the town’s station every year.

Mayor Houchen said: “Hartlepool has been crying out for a new platform for decades and the new lifts, new footbridge, and redeveloped extra platform are absolutely vital if we’re to realise our wider ambitions for the town.

“We have high hopes for the heart of Hartlepool through its new development corporation and a two-platform station is needed so investors, visitors and local people are better connected.

“This work – alongside our efforts at Darlington, Middlesbrough and a raft of other stations in our region – will unlock capacity on our rail system meaning faster journey times and more trains here and beyond.”

The new platform has created more capacity on the wider Tees Valley network with ambitions to create better links between Darlington and Hartlepool, and improve journey times between Teesside, Wearside, and Tyneside.

David Ball, Network Rail’s senior sponsor for the project, said: “Our upgrade work means that passengers travelling to and from Hartlepool station can look forward to easier, more accessible journeys for years to come.

“Hartlepool station sees huge usage and connects the town with other stations across the north-east and down to London. We have already seen how popular the new platform and accessible bridge have been with passengers and we are delighted with the finished product.”

Councillor Oliver added: “We are delighted to see the completion of the much-needed additional platform at Hartlepool Train Station, paving the way for more services.

“It’s the vision of Hartlepool Borough Council, the Combined Authority and our partners that this enhancement will significantly improve accessibility and convenience for both local people and visitors, promoting greater connectivity between Hartlepool and other towns and cities.

“This in turn will help to foster the future social, economic and cultural growth of our town with its rich culture and heritage.”

Jason Wade, regional director for Northern in the North East, said: “We welcome this extra capacity at Hartlepool station and the improved accessibility it provides to our customers.

“We are also pleased that it has enabled us to increase the number of services on the Durham coast.”

The works will also help in providing more capacity to enable future services for other routes including those between London and Sunderland operated by Grand Central.