Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with (a) Nexus and (b) other relevant organisations on the expansion of the Tyne and Wear Metro system in the last 12 months.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions about extending the Tyne and Wear Metro system in the last 12 months. The system is locally managed by Nexus and the relevant local authorities, who are responsible for identifying opportunities to extend and improve the system, but the Department has not yet been asked to consider any specific proposals. The North East City Region has been shortlisted for a share of the £1.22 billion second tranche of the Transforming Cities Fund and, as part of the co-development process, Nexus and the relevant authorities are discussing a range of options, including Metro enhancements, with officials in the Department.