The Metro to Washington
It was reported in June that there would be the first extension to the Tyne and Wear Metro system for 30 years with a new line being built as part of a £1.85bn government investment.
The North East Combined Authority (NECA) were reported as saying that this fund would be combined with money expected to come from the private sector to help meet the cost of the route to Washington, Sunderland.
It is hoped the new line will start running in 2033, estimated to cost about £900m, just over 30 years since the line through Sunderland opened in 2002.
Nexus, which operates the Metro system, said it was “a historic moment”.
“This project is going to be transformative for the people of Washington and our customers, opening a new Metro route corridor along the northern part of the former Leamside Line to one of our region’s largest towns,” said Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella.
More from Nexus
Soon after Nexus made their own announcement that extending the Metro to Washington would be a 13km extension to the Tyne and Wear Metro system making up a key part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ vision to create an integrated network spanning the region and transform local transport.
It was further noted that, “using former railway alignments, including part of the Leamside Line, Metro to Washington will link existing stations at Pelaw and South Hylton via Washington. The extension includes new stations at Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South”.
Intriguingly it was also said that, “while the project is limited to an extension of Metro, it is viewed by the Mayor as a key step towards the full re-opening of the Leamside Line in the future”.
Possible future extensions to the Metro and railways
Following this it was reported on 22nd October that further expansions to the Tyne and Wear Metro network were being considered by the Northeast Combined Authority, on top of the long-promised extension to Washington.
It was noted that, “while details of exactly what improvements are planned and when remain unconfirmed, until the publication of the forthcoming Rail Strategy document, there have been plenty of suggestions in the past of where new Metro or train stations could be opened. The North East’s previous rail strategy, adopted in 2022 before Kim McGuinness’ election as mayor, included various other ambitions.
“Chief amongst those has been the restoration of the entire Leamside Line, the northern section of which would be used for the Washington Metro Loop. The mothballed route runs all the way from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, meaning its full reopening could result in rail stations serving communities like Shincliffe, Belmont, West Rainton, Fencehouses, and Penshaw.”
It also hoped that complaints of a lack of public transport options in the West End of Newcastle, where a street tram network was once proposed, could also be tackled. Indeed it was noted that, “Ms McGuinness’ own Local Transport Plan (LTP), launched last year, mentions an ambition for new westbound public transport heading out of either Central Station or St James!
It is also being proposed that there should be new railway stations serving the Northumberland village of Belford, the north west of North Tyneside and central Gateshead and the Quays. There could also be a new hourly rail service between Newcastle and Berwick on the East Coast Main Line and extensions to the recently-reopened Northumberland Line.
Welcome ambition
“NEPTUG welcomes the ambition to continue the expansion of the public transport network in the North East, building on the huge success of the Northumberland Line. There is clearly a demand for more options to travel without expensive car ownership, addressing the very real transport poverty felt by communities like those in County Durham, or rural Northumberland.
“We hope that Mayor McGuinness will prioritise expenditure on new stations in Belford and improved services on the East Coast Mainline through Northumberland, instead of the expensive dualling of the A1 that will bring few benefits beyond helping those who already own cars. An hourly service for villages like Widdrington, Acklington, Belford, and Beal would greatly increase their connectivity with the region and help reduce tourist traffic on the A1.
“We also welcome thoughts about a tram network in West Newcastle. The Metro doesn’t serve communities in the west and outer west of the city, so a modern tram system here, like those in Nottingham, Sheffield, and Manchester, would be transformational for communities currently poorly served by slow and unreliable buses.”
Real ambition
The news that there is some real ambition to further improve public transport in our region is indeed very welcome news. However, we now need to see the ambition turned into a reality, which could improve the lives of so many in the Northeast.
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