A RAILWAY station serving one of the region’s airports has been named the least-visited in Britain after passenger numbers fell to just 14 for an entire year.

Teesside Airport station, which stops at Durham Tees Valley Airport, has three services a week, all on a Sunday.

Only seven arrivals and seven departures were recorded in the 12 months to March 2012, a drop from the 18 people who used it in 2010/11, according to figures published by the Office of Rail Regulation.

The station has regularly reported poor passenger numbers over the years, even when the airport reached a peak of almost a million passengers in 2006, but the latest figures represent a new low.

Northern Rail, which operates the station, and the airport owners, Peel Holdings, said the station needs to be relocated closer to the airport terminal if passenger numbers are to improve.

A proposal to move the station has been suggested as part of the multi-million pound Tees Valley Metro development, led by Tees Valley Unlimited, although detailed plans have not been outlined.

Although Durham Tees Valley Airport changed its name in 200 the railway station serving the site, on the line between Darlington and Middlesbrough, kept the old name, Teesside Airport.

Other stations on the line reported healthy passenger numbers, including Allens West, which saw more than 60,000 visitors in 2011/12.

Northern Rail spokeswoman Carolyn Watson said: “The line between Darlington and Middlesbrough has attracted a growing number of passengers over recent years, however Teesside Airport station on the route, has not enjoyed the same success. “We support proposals to relocate the station, as part of the wider Tees Valley Metro development, to better serve the needs of rail /air passengers.”

Peter Nears, strategic planning director at Peel Group, said: “Obviously improving accessibility is important both for the airport and the public.

“It has been recognised for a long time that, whilst the rail line is in close proximity to the airport, the current halt is not suitable and we are aware that there are proposals to include a new station as part of plans to improve local rail services.

“Implementing improvements is, of course, a matter for Network Rail and the local transport bodies and we would very much welcome early progress.”