Washington Tyne and Wear Metro loop update
Designs for new railway stations, bridges, and other critical infrastructure needed to finally bring the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington are being drawn up – in the hope of winning Government support for the £900 million vision.
North East mayor Kim McGuinness has pledged to deliver what would be the first extension of the Metro system for more than 20 years by opening a new route to Washington, one of the largest towns in the country without rail services.
Engineering consultants Arup have now been appointed to carry out a feasibility study for the project and specialist design work, Metro operator Nexus announced on Thursday.
The move comes almost a year after the mayor pledged an £8 million cash injection to kickstart the scheme.
It is hoped that the designs will help local leaders when lobbying the Government for the huge amount of public funding that would be needed to actually build the extension.
The proposed Washington Metro Loop would use the northern section of the mothballed Leamside railway line to form a link between the existing stations at Pelaw and South Hylton.
An indicative map of the line has suggested that it could have two stations in Washington and another at Follingsby.
Full details of where Metro trains would stop in the area, the economic benefits of the 13km rail extension, and the true cost of the project are expected to be revealed during the development of the outline business case.
It was previously estimated in 2022 that the scheme would cost £745 million to build.
However, it has since been listed as costing £900 million in the mayor’s new regional transport plan, which sets a target of delivering the project by 2032.
The Washington Metro Loop represents the first section of a wider ambition to reopen the entire Leamside Line, which runs down through County Durham and could allow for the launch of new Tyne-Tees train services.
While the restoration of the line has been a top priority of North East leaders for years, there have been concerns about the money and time it could take to deliver – with some critics having raised concerns that it could be a “vanity project” which it may not be feasible to deliver.
Ms McGuinness said: “I said that I will bring the Metro to Washington and I’m delivering on that promise. I’m delighted we have reached another major milestone with the appointment of Arup, who will now provide specialist design work for the project.
“Last summer, I announced £8 million to kick-start work to bring the Metro to Washington which is a major part of my ambition to re-open the whole Leamside rail route through County Durham and Sunderland . I am determined to transform our transport network to change the lives of local people for generations to come.
“This project will be the biggest expansion of the Metro for more than 20 years – and it will be just as transformative as the Sunderland line was when it first opened back in 2002. This is such an exciting time for rail in the North East as we see these projects come to life.”
Rachel Hurdman, associate director at Arup, added: “The investment in transport capability across the North East reflects a shared vision for regional growth, transforming connectivity through an integrated network and enhancing access for local communities.
“Building on Arup’s expertise in rail and infrastructure development, we look forward to working with Nexus to shape a deliverable, sustainable programme that meets the needs of communities today and for generations to come.”