North East transport bosses have been told to press ahead with huge plans to extend the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington – and find a way to pay for the £745m upgrade.
Proposals were unveiled earlier this month for a long-awaited expansion of the Metro network to finally restore trains to a town that is the fourth largest in the UK without any rail services. The project would use part of the disused Leamside Line to create a ‘Washington Metro Loop’ connecting to existing stations at Pelaw and South Hylton – with three new stations being built for Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South.
At a meeting of the North East Joint Transport Committee on Tuesday, council leaders gave their formal backing to the plans and authorised regional transport officials to work with the government to secure its funding. Coun Carl Johnson, the deputy mayor of North Tyneside, said: “We all think this is absolutely fantastic and a great first step towards what will be a fantastic project.”
Read More: Washington Metro extension plans, map, new stations and what happens next
Tobyn Hughes, managing director of Transport North East, told the committee that the next stage in the Washington loop’s progress would be talks with government over funding for the development of a full business case and then for actual building work itself. The estimated cost of building the ambitious scheme, which has won cross-party support from local MPs, is currently £745m – and the drawing up of its next business case could cost up to £7m.
Mr Hughes warned that the Metro extension, which has long been a key aim of the region’s decision-makers, would take “many years” to come to fruition. Leaders have been pushing for a restoration of the entire Leamside Line, which runs from Pelaw through to County Durham, in the hope of dramatically boosting the North East’s public transport options and freeing up space on the clogged East Coast Main Line.
A report to the JTC states that the Washington Metro Loop alone would deliver £90m per year in economic benefits and reduce carbon emissions by over 86,000 tonnes by replacing up to 1.7m car journeys annually.
A more ambitious version of the plans would also create an extension between Tyne Dock and Boldon, allowing passengers to travel directly between South Shields and Sunderland without needing to go to Pelaw to switch trains. However, this is not currently deemed to deliver sufficient value for money and could take the overall costs to more than £1bn.
The report adds: “There is a clear need to improve the economic, environment and social outcome within the areas that the South of Tyne and Wearside Loop would serve. By 2040 the new Metro services would generate over £90 million per annum into the economy and it would ensure the businesses in the area can access an increased labour pool, while, vice versa, local residents are able to access opportunities which align with their skills, qualifications, and aspirations.
“Similarly improved connectivity to further and higher education, particularly connecting Washington will be a key benefit. When considering the environmental impacts around the area, Sunderland, Gateshead, and South Tyneside, the main local air pollutant of concern is Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), with the primary source being from road vehicle exhaust emissions. A shift to a more sustainable mode would bring about associated climate and health benefits.”
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