IS it really true that the East Coast main railway line has one major bottleneck, Darlington station?

Is it also true that the East Coast mainline can increase capacity by a staggering 25 per cent if Bishop Auckland and Middlesbrough trains do not cross the East Coast mainline and enter Darlington station? What a supreme irony it would be if the town which started the railway is holding back passenger numbers comfort and safety in this way.

Can we allow Bishop Auckland train passengers to alight on a new platform to the west of the station behind Pensbury street? Can we allow Middlesbrough, Saltburn and Whitby passengers to alight and board trains on a new platform to the furthest point east of the existing station accessed from Neasham Road if needs be?

This is surely more important than HS2, isn’t it?

Where is the leadership from the local council? Why has this lamentable state of affairs existed for so long?

The council’s inactivity and the numbers of passengers using these services will beg the question from outside why have some or all of these local services in the first place? Whose fault will it be if they are lost?

Nigel FH Boddy, Darlington