NEXUS has been granted a further £20 million by the government for modernising Tyne & Wear Metro.

The funding will be used for further infrastructure renewals, including track and overhead line replacements, after the main £350 million Metro ‘all change’ programme of major upgrades that started in April 2010 ends next March.

Nexus confirmed it was also working with the Department for Transport to secure further investment until 2025 in this year’s Spending Review.

The new funding is not connected with everyday running expenses, and Nexus said it remains in talks with the DfT about a further bailout to compensate it for the fall in revenue resulting from lockdown. The Department for Transport provided £8.6 million to cover the Metro deficit for 12 weeks at the start of May.

Cllr Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council and chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: ‘This is funding that will allow vital modernisation work on Metro’s ageing infrastructure to continue. Let me be clear, while I welcome the investment, this represents only a small portion of what is needed to continue upgrading key assets across the Metro over the next five years.’