Berwick News
Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council (BTC) Response to the Local Transport Plan Consultation.
05 February 2025
Please see the below response from Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council to the Local Transport Plan Consultation.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit our response for the NECA Local Transport Plan. Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council (BTC) encourages the use of active travel as well as the use of public transport. A staggering 30% of Berwick households do not have access to a car and the current level of public transport and safe active travel routes is poor. Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council believes this does not give our residents and those in our surrounding communities the same opportunity of outcome as others have throughout the North East region.
We have broken our submission down into 4 main areas.
1 – Rail.
Berwick Railway Station is the third busiest in the North East with over 600K users annually of which a huge number are visitors to the town, bringing economic benefit to the area while also easing the load on the A1. The proposed reduction in direct services to Berwick (being imposed by the new ECML timetable scheduled for introduction from December 2025) will have a highly detrimental impact on the town as a whole, and will further increase strain on the A1.
The Tweed Trail is due to complete in 2028/29 with an estimated 320,000 users by 2032. By its location on transport corridors, Berwick will be either the start or end point of this trail for most of those additional visitors. The irregularity of service will inevitably lead to higher car use among those visitors, causing further stress on already very limited car-parking facilities.
Berwick Town Council would like to see.
• No reduction in DIRECT service between Berwick and London by LNER, and no reduction in service between Berwick and Edinburgh by any operators
• A local service between Newcastle and Edinburgh This service would allow visitors to explore Northumberland and the Borders by rail as well as Berwick residents access Newcastle and Edinburgh beyond the early evening. (A local service between Berwick and Edinburgh was a requirement imposed by the Scottish Parliament at the time that Reston and East Linton stations were funded, but this has never happened)
• Proper Rail/Bus Integration with timetables aligning to encourage public transport usage throughout the journey with up to date RTPI.
• The installation of a proper Bus/Rail interchange as currently this is spread across 3 bus stops close to the station with no shelters or seating available.
2 – Bus.
Berwick is in a unique position nationally with our main bus provider being a Scottish based company. This leads to several issues with ticketing/fairs/passes. We are also the main town for many isolated rural communities across North Northumberland and the Scottish Boarders.
Without adequate bus provision, Rural Communities are left isolated with residents struggling to access services. They have no viable alternative to car use to commute to and from work or access services in the town. This often leads to fewer opportunities for rural residents especially if they do not have access to car.
A very high proportion of our residents are past retirement age making the provision of regular accessible bus services essential to access hospitals, doctors and shopping.
Berwick only has one dedicate town service (B1) which leaves many areas of the town reliant on infrequent village services or community hopper busses to get to and from the town centre. Some rural services also have their last bus as early 17.10 which again restricts these residents from car free alternatives for commuting home or an evening in town. Pre pandemic there were later/more regular buses, but these have never been reinstated.
Bus use in the area is not high and this is often used to justify the lack of service but we at BTC would argue the lack of provision drives the public into car use. If NECA is committed to sustainable and greener travel, a viable, reliable alternative to car travel must be provided.
Again, the Tweed Trail will bring high numbers of visitors here either by foot or by bike but currently they will more than likely be using a car/taxi rather than public transport. Berwick and the surrounding area has a wide variety of festivals throughout the year and currently the only way for locals and visitors to access these is by using a car.
Berwick Town Council would like to see.
• A proper, regular rural bus service to neighbouring villages both sides of the boarder.
• Cross boarder collaboration between NECA, Scottish Boarders Council and service providers to ensure a reliable integrated service.
• Up to date and accurate timetables and RTPI
• At a minimum a reinstatement of pre pandemic timetables.
• More extensive service within the town.
• Accessible, step free bus stops (including raised kerbs as standard).
• Bike provision on all buses (throughout the region) except those that are wholly within a single settlement. Especially important around Berwick with Tweed Trail in mind.
• Space for parents with prams.
• Proper bus/rail integration of timetabling.
• Proper bus/rail interchange.
3 – Safe Active Travel.
Currently many of active travel routes in the town are not safe or fit for purpose. Cycle routes are poorly provisioned and leave users vulnerable in several areas. Berwick has an aging population, and the town centre is not safe for many of our elderly residents, not to mention any with disabilities that impair mobility.
• An increased level of transport spending being diverted to active travel for infrastructure.
• Safe separated cycle paths within, and to the town from residential areas, especially to schools to encourage greater bike use.
• Coastal paths and the new Tweed Trail to have safe linking routes into the Town.
• Safe crossing points in the town centre for pedestrians.
• Greater numbers of safe crossing points throughout the town for pedestrians with mobility or visual impairments.
• A reduction of the speed limit to 20mph within the settlement boundary (perhaps with the exception of the A roads) to help with less emissions and to ensure safer car/active travel integration: this policy would work best if universal to all settlements throughout the region
• Collaboration between NECA and Scottish Boarders Council to ensure properly integrated active travel initiatives.
4 – Parking Provision.
Although BTC encourages active travel and increased public transport use, we are also aware that the town suffers from a shortage of parking. We have been promised a full review of the parking provision by Northumberland County Council, but we feel it is worth raising within this submission.
BTC would like to see.
• NECA’s support in ensuring a full review is carried out by NCC
• A review of EV charging points to ensure the network is comprehensive enough to promote the use of cleaner energy cars.
• The potential creation of a park and ride with the aim to alleviate town centre congestion. This could link with the extended in town bus service.
• An extension of the Castlegate Car Park to give year-round parking provision.
• Additional parking provision at Berwick Railway Station and the facility to stay longer than few days.
• An integrated plan to ensure active travel/public transport is the priority but parking provision is not forgotten.