Invest in 'tarnished jewel' Saltburn rather than paying for rail link, says councillor

Coun Philip Thomson referred to Saltburn Valley Gardens as a “tarnished jewel” and said the town itself needed considerable investment in its infrastructure if it was to welcome more visitors by train.

Coun Thomson, who represents Saltburn on Redcar and Cleveland Council and is leader of the authority’s Conservative group, said he agreed with comments made by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen over the prospect of extending TransPennine Express services from Redcar into Saltburn.

Mr Houchen recently said his Tees Valley Combined Authority could not justify funding the potential £10m cost.

Instead he suggested the aim was to persuade rail chiefs to include the town in a specification for future services once TransPennine Express operator First Group’s current agreement ends in 2023, thereby allowing the expense that would arise from an extension to be factored into any new contract.

Coun Thomson said for the combined authority to plug the gap financially would be “premature”.

He said: “It is right to pause for consideration and ensure that public funds are directed correctly. Before any further expanded promotion of the town there needs to be a considerable investment in its infrastructure.

“Without the provision of adequate highways, parking, street cleansing and toilets along with consideration for the needs of local residents, any further augmenting of visitor numbers would not be a good strategy.”

Coun Thomson referred to Saltburn’s Valley Gardens being on a Historic England ‘at risk’ register.

He said: “[It requires] considerable investment…to refurbish this tarnished jewel and this is where investment should be directed.”

He also said he welcomed the continued assistance that was being given to the wider borough of Redcar and Cleveland by the Tees Valley Combined Authority.

It is investing £20m in a bid to position the borough as the Tees Valley’s premier all year round tourist destination, leading to a number of regeneration projects taking place.