The North East is set for its most significant transport investment in decades, with North East Mayor Kim McGuinness today announcing that the first new Metro line in 30 years will be built through Washington. This landmark development forms the core of a “game changing” £1.85 billion funding deal agreed with the Government.
Mayor McGuinness personally lobbied Chancellor Rachel Reeves to secure this substantial investment, which will fund a vast array of transport improvements across the region. These include a major investment in road maintenance, the creation of better and safer walking and cycling routes, and new bus priority measures. The Mayor hailed the deal as crucial to delivering her vision for the “Angel Network,” a fully integrated, sustainable transport network designed to drive economic growth, support new home building, and extend opportunity to all.
North East Mayor Kim 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. I promised to make the North East the home of real opportunity and deliver quality integrated transport that works for all. This funding means that we can create the Angel Network with buses under public control, more electric buses running on time along priority corridors, and contactless smart travel whether you are on a bus a Metro or a train. We will improve accessibility and safety for women and girls through upgrades to railway stations, interchanges and bus stops, make walking and cycling routes attractive and build the best electric vehicle charging network in the country.”
The new Metro line through Washington holds particular significance for local connectivity and economic development.
Councillor Michael Mordey, the leader of Sunderland Council, commented: “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.”
The Mayor’s deal will provide a major boost towards meeting the total cost of the Metro to Washington project, which is also expected to include private sector funding. Work to draw up detailed plans for the line through Washington is already underway. The new line, estimated to cost a total of about £900 million, is projected to see its first trains run in 2033, just over 30 years since the Metro line through Sunderland first opened. It will serve tens of thousands of homes in Washington, which is currently the fourth largest town in England without a direct rail connection, and will provide vital access to jobs in the UK’s largest advanced manufacturing zone around the Nissan car factory.
The broader £1.85 billion announced today will also fund local authority road and public transport projects across the entire North East region. These include essential highways maintenance, the rollout of safe and high-quality walking and cycling routes, the installation of hundreds of new electric vehicle (EV) charging points throughout towns and villages, and the implementation of new bus priority measures to enhance journey time reliability.
Furthermore, the funding will significantly advance the creation of the Angel Network, a fully integrated sustainable public transport network. This will include contactless travel across bus, Metro, and rail services, alongside comprehensive improvements to safety and accessibility at public waiting areas, from bus stops and Metro stations to larger interchanges.
This funding has been agreed as the latest phase of the region’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS2) and will cover the five-year period from 2027 to 2032. Crucially, the agreement represents entirely new money and will form part of the North East Combined Authority’s “Integrated Settlement,” a fully devolved funding stream that will encompass investment in transport, housing, economic growth, and skills and employment programmes, all falling under the Mayor’s “New Deal for North East Workers.”
