A new Tyne and Wear Metro line to Washington should open by 2033, after Labour committed to the “biggest ever investment” in the North’s transport infrastructure. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will today unveil a £15.6 billion funding promise to pay for major upgrades to bus, rail and other critical travel links outside of London and the South East, £1.8 billion of which will be allocated to the North East. A chunk of that cash is expected to be put towards turning long-held ambitions of extending the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington into a reality, with North East mayor Kim McGuinness announcing that the £900 million project “will happen” as a result of the Treasury’s pledge. It would mark the first expansion of the Metro system since 2002 and bring trains to a town that is the fourth largest in England not connected to the rail network, as well as helping connect workers to the Nissan car factory and the International Advanced Manufacturing Park. The funding will also be used to help establish integrated contactless ticket payments across bus, Metro and rail services in the North East, as well as installing more electric vehicle charging points, creating “safe and high quality” walking and cycling routes, and measures to make bus services more reliable. Ms McGuinness said: “When I was elected mayor I promised voters I would extend the Metro and now, 12 months on, I can today announce that will happen. I am thrilled to say we can now get on with the job of building the first new Metro line for 30 years, at last connecting Washington to the rail network and linking tens of thousands of people to new jobs and opportunity in our growing advanced manufacturing sector. “This is a game-changing moment for the people of our region, who can look forward to a truly world-class integrated public transport network, safer walking and cycling routes throughout our towns and cities, better local roads and a massive acceleration on our journey to an EV future.” The Metro line expansion, for which consultants Arup were appointed last week to carry out design works and a feasibility study, is currently expected to cost around £900 million. It is expected that the North East Combined Authority (NECA) will also seek some private sector funding to help pay for the works, which would involve restoring the northern section of the mothballed Leamside Line, but it described today’s deal as a “major boost towards meeting the total cost”. An indicative map shows how the line would create a loop connecting to the existing Metro stations at Pelaw and South Hylton, with new stops planned for Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South. Coun Michael Mordey, the leader of Sunderland Council, said: “This is great news for Washington and the whole city of Sunderland. We have waited a long time to see Metro reach Washington with a direct line from the city centre. This new Metro line will transform public transport for people living in Washington, and connect people from surrounding areas to the jobs we are creating around Nissan and the neighbouring International Advanced Manufacturing Park.” Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella called ther news “transformative for the people of Washington and our customers”. The North East’s £1.8 billion is an uplift to the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) allocation covering 2027 to 2032, which will be handed to NECA, while the Tees Valley will also receive £1 billion. That money was originally promised under the Conservatives following Rishi Sunak’s decision to scrap the northern leg of HS2 but was put under review once Labour came to power and warned it had been left with a raft of unfunded commitments. Sir Keir Starmer, Ms Reeves and other ministers have come under major pressure having already scrapped plans to dual the A1 in Northumberland, cut £50 million of transport funding which was allocated to County Durham, and failed to guarantee the final money needed to finish the restoration of the Tyne Bridge. It remains unclear at this stage whether the final £6 million required for the Tyne Bridge refurbishment will be confirmed, though local sources have expressed confidence that it will come through. But the Chancellor is expected to say at a speech in Greater Manchester today that “a Britain that is better off cannot rely on a handful of places forging ahead of the rest of the country,” adding that the “result of such thinking has been growth created in too few places, felt by too few people and wide gaps between regions, and between our cities and towns.” Ms Reeves is due to deliver her Spending Review next week and is also expected to confirm “a step change” in how the Government evaluates the case for investing in regions, following long-standing complaints that the Treasury’s ‘Green Book’ funding formula unfairly prioritises investment in London and the South East. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, said: “Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. “For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of Government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off.” Recommended reading Today’s funding announcement will not restore the £50 million cut from County Durham in February this year, nor will it be used to pay for the dualling of the A1 or a £400 million replacement of the Metro’s signalling system. Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, said: “The economic revival of Greater Manchester, enabled by sustained investment in the tram network in particular, has already begun to close the productivity gap with London. To build on that success and replicate it across all our regions in the North, we need to see key projects delivered – including the extension of the Metro to Washington, the replacement of the Sheffield tram fleet, and the extension of Metrolink to Stockport. “Too many times in the past, a trade-off was made – due to limited funding – between connectivity within and between our regions. The spending rules adopted last autumn mean this Government can invest in both at the same time, unlocking far greater productivity gains than prioritising one at the expense of the other.”