Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the feasibility of reinstating the train station in Consett; and if he will make a statement.

The department does not have any plans to reinstate the train station in Consett.

In line with our devolution policies, it is for the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and local transport authorities in this area to decide what are the priority projects to support economic development and to secure appropriate funding - including drawing on that made available by Government for example through the Local Growth Fund - to take them forward.

Proposals for new stations need first to secure the support of a local promoter, normally the local transport authority, to undertake studies of the potential additional passenger demand, train service options, economic benefits, capital and any operating subsidy requirements before the addition of such services to a franchise agreement could be considered.