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The North East Combined Authority has given the green light to plans to inject millions of pounds into improving transportation infrastructure in the region.
Over £100 million will be allocated to various projects aimed at enhancing bus networks, bolstering the Metro system, fortifying the Shields Ferry service, and upgrading rail services. The Mayor and the Cabinet have endorsed the region’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement to realise these aspirations.
The lion’s share of the investment will focus on enhancing bus services, with £60.811 million earmarked for revenue funding and £40.468 million allocated for capital funding. These funds will support a plethora of transformative initiatives, including making fares more affordable, revamping bus stops, and launching a new transport website and app to elevate bus services across the region.
An additional £8.6 million is set aside to extend the Metro to Washington, in conjunction with reopening the southern section of the Leamside Line that spans from Washington to Ferryhill in County Durham.
The Shields Ferry’s future is secure with a backing of £4.58 million, which will also facilitate the establishment of a new North Landing in North Shields. While the mentioned investment will not fully finance the project, the remaining funds will be sourced from the North East’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.
Moreover, the transport settlement will channel £181 million and £346 million respectively towards enhancing highways, subject to government approval at a later stage.
Kim McGuinness, the Mayor of the North East, expressed her determination to position the North East as a hotspot of genuine opportunity through substantial investments in transport infrastructure. She emphasised the necessity of meeting the local populace’s demands and fostering unprecedented connections among communities.
“The North East has endured a dearth of significant investments essential for realising our transport ambitions. Under my stewardship, the North East is poised to flourish. Collaboration with the government to advocate for further investments in our priorities is already in progress, ensuring the commencement of imperative transport projects,” McGuinness stated.
“Today marks not just the approval of investments but the initiation of enduring investments in our communities. This comprehensive package will protect the Shields Ferry, commence the Metro extension to Washington, reopen the Leamside Line, and usher in substantial enhancements for our bus services. These endeavours underscore our commitment to bolstering the North East’s future, heralding a promising era of growth,” she further added.
In a meeting where the investment received the green light, the Mayor and the Cabinet also agreed to progress towards bringing the region’s buses back under public control by initiating a Franchising Scheme Assessment.
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