East Coast Trains back in private hands
Trains on the East Coast Main Line are back in private control today, as services are taken over by a consortium involving Virgin Trains and Stagecoach.
Live updates
£10 million to improve Newcastle's cycleways
Newcastle is to get ten million pounds to improve cycle routes in the city.
The money, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, will expand and improve cycle and pedestrian networks to encourage people to cycle to work.
It follows an announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister at a cycling summit last November to extend £115 million of funding for eight cycling cities across the country.
In January this year Newcastle successfully bid for a share of the money.
Research commissioned by British Cycling, found if the UK became a cycling nation, like the Netherlands or Denmark, it could:
- save the NHS £17 billion within 20 years
- reduce road deaths by 30%
- increase mobility of the nation's poorest families by 25%
- increase retail sales by a quarter
Watch: East Coast trains back in private hands
The first trains have been running on the East Coast Main Line since services returned to private hands first thing this morning.
Trains between our region, London and Scotland will be operated by a franchise involving the companies Virgin and Stagecoach.
Helen Ford reports.
Advertisement
Police concern for missing Blyth woman
Northumbria Police have appealed for information about a missing woman from Blyth.
Jacqueline Davis, 43, was reported missing on Friday, 27th February, after she failed to return home from work in the Newburn area.
Ms Davis is described as white, 5ft tall, and of slim build with long, blonde hair. She was last seen wearing a black coat with a dark coloured knee length skirt.
Wild deer on road force closure of A1 in Newcastle
Police temporarily closed the A1 Western Bypass at Fawdon, Newcastle, because of several wild deer on the road.
- ITV Report
VIDEO: Sunday's forecast for the North East region
- ITV Report
Cold, blustery and wintry outlook. Some sunshine
Advertisement
Suspected drink-driver crashes car over barrier
North Yorkshire Police released this picture of a car balancing on a roadside safety barrier after crashing at a roundabout at junction 44 of the A1(M).
Below the wooden fence is a steep drop onto the motorway below.
The Roads Policing Unit also released a second picture of the scene showing how the car had come off the road.
The driver has been arrested after allegedly failing a roadside breath test, according to police.
- ITV Report
Snow & Ice risk for Pennines from Sunday evening
Pedestrian, 19, seriously injured after being hit by car
A 19-year-old man has life-threatening injuries after being hit by a car, early on Sunday morning, in Jesmond, Newcastle.
It happened just before 1:30am on the Great North Road, about 400m from the junction with Clayton Road.
Police said that "for reasons yet to be established", the pedestrian "collided in the carriageway" with a VW Passat car travelling south towards the city centre.
He is now being treated at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, and his condition is critical but stable. Police are appealing for witnesses to what happened.
East Coast: 'Best deal for passengers"
The East Coast rail line becomes privately run from today after more than five years in the public sector.
The route which links London with Edinburgh has been operated by the Department for Transport since 2009. But it has now been jointly taken over by Virgin and Stagecoach.
Protests were held yesterday by the RMT union, which has described the handover as an "act of gross national betrayal of the British people".
A Department for Transport spokesman said they were confident that the new East Coast franchise gave the best deal for passengers - providing more seats, more services, new trains and over £140 million of investment along the route.
Shadow Transport Secretary Michael Dugher said the ending of the state-run East Coast company was "a hammer blow for passengers, taxpayers and employees alike".
