Tyne and Wear Metro bosses have promised to provide answers over plans to extend the network to Washington after a councillor accused them of refusing to address potential problems. The extension, announced last year, is expected to open by 2033, with costs largely covered by a £1.85 billion transport funding pot allocated to North East Mayor Kim McGuinness.
Councillor's Concerns
Washington South Councillor Robert Pattison, of Reform UK, told a North East mayoral authority scrutiny meeting on Tuesday that Nexus chiefs had “refused to enter any conversation about problems which may arise” from the plans. He described a recent meeting as a “whitewash” and claimed the proposed extension would “not benefit residents” as it is in the “wrong place” for the town. Pattison raised concerns about how people would access new stations, a lack of access roads to South Hylton, and how the new Metro loop would cross the A19.
Proposed Route
The proposal would use the northern section of the mothballed Leamside Line to create a new route connecting to existing Metro stations at Pelaw and South Hylton. Early stage plans suggest stations at Washington South (near Fatfield and Teal Farm), Washington North (near the Nissan plant and International Advanced Manufacturing Park), and another to serve Follingsby Park and the Amazon warehouse.
Mayor's Response
Mayor Kim McGuinness said some of Pattison’s issues were “exactly the questions I am asking” and promised a “much fuller” public consultation in September with greater details. She stated that “nobody is blind to the concerns and some of the potential challenges of a project like this.”
Nexus Statement
Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that details of where new tracks and stations might go “are not yet finalised or formal plans.” She added that the meeting Pattison referred to was facilitated by ‘For Better Places CIC’ to establish social value priorities, not to discuss the route. “These sessions invited local residents and community groups to provide their views… This was not a meeting about the proposed route and stations.” She confirmed that further public engagement sessions will be held from September across Washington, Gateshead, and Sunderland, informing the final plan and Outline Business Case to be submitted in early 2027, with construction aiming to begin from 2030.
