More than £50 million will be invested in the modernisation of Metro over the next two years, the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority said today. The money represents Phase One of the PTA and Nexus’ plans for Metro Re-invigoration, a £600 million programme spread over 20 years to modernise and operate the light rail network used by almost 39 million passengers annually.
Investment in the next few years will include new stations, ticket machines and the overhaul of ageing bridges and tunnels.
Cllr David Wood, Chairman of the Passenger Transport Authority, said: "I am delighted to say we now have funding in place to deliver the whole of Phase One of Metro Re-invigoration.
"The funding has come from a number of sources, including Government, private developers, the European Community and sensible investment in the future of Metro by Nexus.
"Passengers will begin to see a difference on Metro up to 2010 thanks to this investment, but that’s a drop in the ocean compared to what we can achieve if we win Government support for Phase Two and Phase Three of Metro Re-invigoration."
Bernard Garner, Director General of Nexus, said: "Metro is performing at record levels for punctuality, and passenger numbers are growing towards 39 million.
"We are determined to build on that success by investing money where it is needed on urgently-needed maintenance work and modernisation to meet the expectations of tomorrow’s passengers.
"Metro has been a huge asset to North East England but after 27 years we need to plan and build for the future, to make sure it is still around two decades from now."
Phase One work taking place over the next two years includes:
i) £14.3 million for 249 new ticket machines accepting coins, notes and cards at all stations, and barriers at 13 stations, funded by a Department for Transport grant.
ii) £6.9 million improvements to Sunderland station platforms, including new escalator to street level, funded by saving money through rail service timetable changes between Sunderland and Newcastle
iii) £5 million new station for Haymarket, including new lift and escalators
funded from a £20m private development iv) £3.2 million new station at Simonside, South Tyneside, to open late 2007 funded by Nexus and the European Community.
v) £6.3 million overhaul of structures such as bridges and tunnels funded from the Nexus capital programme
vi) £3 million improvements to Metrocars
vii) £17.4 million overhaul of infrastructure and technology
The PTA and Nexus submitted a detailed Business Case for Metro Re-invigoration to Government in January 2007.
The Business Case sets out the funding needs for Metro over the next 20 years, to operate, maintain and modernise the system.
Without new investment Metro will decline and fail within the next decade, spilling 15 million more car journeys a year onto the region’s roads.
After approving investment in new ticket technology last week, the Government has been asked to consider the Phase Two and Phase Three funding proposals.
Phase Two, starting in 2010, would include modernisation of all Metro stations, the refurbishment of Metrocars, new communications systems, the overhaul of track and overhead lines and maintenance of structures dating back up to 160 years.
Phase Three, from 2019, would see new trains and signal systems, among other modernisation projects.
