£14m upgrade plan for North East bus, Metro, and rail stations

Metro mayor Kim McGuinness and her cabinet are poised to sign off on a £14 million project to make the region’s transport links safer and more accessible.

The move could see improvements made at 195 bus stops in Tyne and Wear and Northumberland, as well as a number of Metro and railway stations.

Transport chiefs are also proposing to fund the installation of up to 166 electric vehicle charging points.

The programme is expected to be signed off at a meeting of the North East Combined Authority’s (NECA) cabinet in Durham next Tuesday, June 10.

A total £13.9 million package includes: £3.5 million to be spent on upgrades to 195 bus stops across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland with measures such as new shelters, CCTV, lighting, real-time information screens, widened pavements, and dropped kerbs; £6 million to improve the attractiveness of nine rail or Metro stations, potentially covering the Northumberland Line’s Bebside, Seaton Delaval, and Newsham stations. The upgrades will include CCTV and lighting, cycle parking, active travel link improvements, and signage; £4.42 million to install up to 166 new electric vehicle chargers at 58 sites.

NECA is also expected to put a further £600,000 into a series of transport studies – including examining the prospect of a regional bike hire scheme, as well as what bus and active travel route upgrades the North East needs.

Ms McGuinness said: “I am determined to deliver better transport for everyone in the North East and a huge part of this is investing in our public transport network so that it is safer, more accessible and appealing for local people.

“Passengers should be able to feel safe when using our system, from the moment they approach their local bus stop. This is about making a difference in the streets where people live.

“Millions of journeys start at local bus stops, Metro and rail stations every year – so this money will make a huge difference and improve the journeys so many people rely on.

“This latest investment will be transformative and it’s the start of more exciting things to come for our transport network.”