Public Transport: North East

(asked on 19th February 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve (a) rail and (b) bus links in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) Tyne and Wear and (iv) the North East.


This question was answered on 27th February 2018

My Department is committed to improving both rail and bus links across the whole North East, including in Jarrow, South Tyneside and Tyne and Wear.

The Northern and TransPennine Express rail franchises will deliver brand-new and refurbished-as-new trains, including the replacement of all Pacer trains by 2020. From 2019, new hourly Transpennine Express services will run between Newcastle and Glasgow, and twice hourly high quality Northern Connect services will run between Middlesbrough and Carlisle via Newcastle.

In the Autumn Budget the Chancellor committed £337m towards the new rolling stock for the Tyne and Wear Metro from 2021. This is in addition to the £229 million the Department is contributing towards the operational cost of the Metro to 2019/20, and the £317 million contribution to the reinvigoration and asset renewal programme which ends in 2020/21. Over £1.9 million of asset renewal funding, along with £9.4 million of Local Growth Funding, is being used as a contribution to the £21 million development of a new bus and metro interchange in the centre of South Shields.

The Transforming Cities Fund announced in the Autumn Budget has provided £840million to the six mayoral combined authorities. The remainder will be allocated by competition to other English Cites and could provide further funding for public transport improvements in in the North East.

The Bus Services Act received Royal Assent in April 2017 and provides new powers for local authorities to improve bus services. Regulations and guidance are now being published to allow for stronger partnership working; bus franchising powers for metro mayors; and better information on fares and routes for bus passengers.

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