Calls for fairer rail fares have been made after it emerged passengers in west Northumberland can pay significantly more than those in the east to travel similar distances by train.
Mayor Derek Kennedy has called on Northumberland County Council (NCC) to assess "inequitable" rail fare disparities between Hexham's route to Newcastle and Ashington's.
Although he highlights the "great success" of the newly built Northumberland line, which has already amassed over a million passenger journeys since its completion in December 2024, councillor Kennedy notes that NCC taxpayers from "all parts of the county" contributed around £49 million towards the "rising" £336 million cost of the Ashington line.
The mayor claims that passengers travelling the 19 miles from Ashington to Newcastle pay £2.60, while someone travelling the 22 miles from Hexham to Newcastle on the Tyne Valley line can pay from £4 up to £9.
The county council said it has "no control" over ticket pricing on existing railways, while Northern Trains added that several rail fares, including Anytime, some Off Peak and season tickets, are regulated by the Department for Transport.
"There's clearly an inequity here. People in Tynedale have helped fund the Ashington line, but they're paying significantly more to travel a very similar distance," said Mayor Kennedy.
"The Ashington line fares are subsidised through the North East mayor's transport system, which keeps costs low for passengers. If that's the case, why isn't the Tyne Valley Line treated in the same way?"
"If we're serious about encouraging sustainable travel, we need a fair deal across the county. Otherwise, we're penalising people in West Northumberland for living a few miles further out."
"They've got £2.60 fares and free parking on the Ashington line - we've got neither. It's just not fair or equitable, and the difference really adds up."
"I've raised this with Northumberland County Council and have now taken it to the North East Mayor's office. I'll be pushing for an explanation and for proper fairness in rail pricing across the region."
NCC leader, Glen Sanderson, said that he has arranged a meeting with Cllr Kennedy, himself, and chiefs at the North East Combined Authority to "explore what might be done going forward" in terms of lowering rail fares for those travelling in the west.
He added that NCC invested in the Northumberland Line to reopen an "important connection" that had been closed to passenger travel for well over 60 years.
"This has not only brought many more residents onto public transport, but also opened up new opportunities in terms of employment and education, and saved tons of CO2 emissions," he said.
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"The council invests right across the county, and in Hexham, for example, we revitalised the town centre, created a new car park recently at the Bunker and delivered a brand new school.
"Our ambition remains to invest across Northumberland on projects that offer value for money, deliver new business and jobs, and help tackle inequalities."
A Northern Trains spokesperson said: "We advise customers travelling between Hexham and Newcastle to book in advance to get the best deal for their journey.
"There are different fares available on the Northumberland Line, which links Ashington and Newcastle, because we had the opportunity to integrate rail into the POP Pay as You Go scheme and introduce single-leg pricing when the route opened in December 2024.
"This means that single fares are half the price of returns."
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