Yahoo News Local Transport Minister 'working closely' with North East Mayor on Leamside Line and Metro expansion
The Government is “working closely” with regional leaders in the North East to reopen the Leamside Line and expand the Tyne and Wear Metro, a minister has said.
During a visit to the North East on Tuesday, local transport minister Simon Lightwood insisted Labour was “committed” to enhanced rail provision in the region.
Restoring the mothballed Leamside Line and delivering on long-debated extensions for the Metro is high on the priority list of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and the region's political leadership, with an £8 million cash injection having been announced last month to try and drive the project forward.
But there have been questions over the scheme, with the Washington Metro Loop expected to cost in the region of £745 million and the full Leamside plans likely to come in at well over £1 billion. Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently axed the Restoring Your Railway fund, which Ferryhill station in County Durham was expected to be one of the beneficiaries of, amid claims of a £22 billion hole in the country's finances.
Mr Lightwood told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “The Government wants to invest in integrated transport so that people can change from a bus to a bike to the Metro to rail. Of course, part of this is about providing more routes and capacity. Funding for this will of course will be taken as part of the Spending Review, but we are totally committed to improving city transport networks across the country, including here in the North East.
“We are working closely with the combined authority with Kim to look at that and we continue to support them the best we can, in terms of expenditure it comes back to the spending review.”
The proposals to extend the Metro network would allow trains to travel from the South Hylton terminus, over the Victoria Viaduct, through to Washington and Follingsby and connect back to the Metro Line at Pelaw.
Ms McGuinness added: “I am absolutely determined that we will extend to Washington and open the Leamside Lane. It is absolutely critical to unlock growth, £90m a year in economic benefit.
“Washington is the fourth biggest town in the UK without access to a train station. I believe the Government understands that and we will work together to deliver for the people. People have waited some time for this and we will make sure we have the integrated public transport that people deserve.”
