{"id":64194,"date":"2026-08-16T14:00:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T13:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=64194"},"modified":"2026-08-16T10:31:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T09:31:55","slug":"public-drop-in-sessions-to-give-update-on-plans-for-washington-metro-extension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.britishtramsonline.co.uk\/news\/?p=64194","title":{"rendered":"Public drop-in sessions to give update on plans for Washington Metro extension"},"content":{"rendered":"

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, has announced that a series of engagement events will take place in September for local residents to see how the project to extend the Tyne and Wear Metro to Washington is progressing.<\/p>\n

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This line would be a 13km extension of the network and would see three new stations built \u2013 planned to be at Follinsby, Washington North and Washington South. The first new extension for the Metro in 30 years it would in effect join up two sections of the current network, extending beyond South Hylton and then rejoining at Pelaw.<\/p>\n

The drop-in sessions will given information on the proposed locations of these stations and will also allow the public to hear from the project team about latest progress.<\/p>\n

Kim McGuinness said: \u201cWe\u2019re bringing the Metro to Washington and I want local people to be able to ask questions and make comments on our plans for the route and its stations at events throughout the area this September.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have already started work on what will be the first new Metro line for 30 years and a key part of our vision for the Angel Network, a world class transport system for local people.<\/p>\n

\u201cMetro to Washington is about more than public transport, it is\u00a0about\u00a0how we help local people into jobs by making it easier and more affordable to get around\u00a0\u2013 whether that\u2019s people from Washington or travelling to the town for factories in and around Nissan.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe route has been\u00a0surveyed by engineers to\u00a0identify\u00a0possible locations\u00a0for three new\u00a0stations\u00a0and I want to share that with local\u00a0people to see what they think.\u201d<\/p>\n

Its currently planned that the outline business case for the line will be completed in early 2027 and that the first trains will run on the extension in 2033.<\/p>\n

Paul Welford, Major Projects Director at Nexus, said: \u201cFollowing the feasibility study\u00a0earlier this year, we are excited to share the latest proposals through a series of\u00a0drop-in\u00a0sessions. This builds on the public engagement events we carried out last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are committed to listening to local people and ensuring their views help shape the project as it develops.\u00a0We are already in discussions with landowners that could be\u00a0impacted\u00a0and want to engage with more members of the\u00a0wider\u00a0community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe format will be informal drop-in sessions, so that people can pop in and speak to us on a one-to-one basis. We\u2019re keen to listen to as many views as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

The drop-in sessions are due to take place as follows:<\/p>\n