£20 million investment in transport and culture in Durham
£20 million from the Levelling Up Fund will help to transform the Locomotion tourist attraction in Shildon, reopen Whorlton Bridge and improve the A68 at Toft Hill.
Expansion to Locomotion in Shildon
The investment will deliver improvements so heritage engines can run along the museum line. This will complement a new 18km walking and cycling route alongside the railway.
Improving this attraction will:
- create jobs in Bishop Auckland and Newton Aycliffe
- connect rural communities to the Locomotion
Councillor James Rowlandson, Durham County Council cabinet member for Resources, Investment and Assets, said:
We are delighted to have secured Levelling Up funding which is helping Locomotion expand its visitor offer and enhancing active travel and connectivity; thereby delivering economic, environmental and health benefits.
Niall Hammond, Chair of the Friends of the Stockton and Darlington Railway charitable incorporated organisation, said:
We are thrilled that investment into Locomotion and the creation of a walking/cycling route will celebrate the cradle of the railways and provide a lasting benefit to visitors and communities.
Reopening of Whorlton Bridge
The investment will also support the reopening of Whorlton Bridge, the UK’s oldest surviving unaltered suspension bridge. This will link nearby villages to the A66 and A67.
The A68 at Toft Hill
Funding will support the rerouting of the A68 at Toft Hill, near Bishop Auckland. The works will:
- reduce the amount of traffic through the village
- enhance quality of life for residents
- improve journey times
Find out more about levelling up.