North East Mayor launches £8.7bn infrastructure plans
The ambitious wishlist for a ‘green, integrated transport system’, includes Metro and rail extensions across the region, connecting Washington by Metro and a Leamside line; a new North Shields ferry landing; and a bridge at the mouth of the River Wear in Sunderland.
Kim McGuiness, North East Mayor, set out her Local Transport Plan at the North East Combined Authority meeting this week.
The plans, which are up for public consultation, have a combined cost of £8.7bn. The LTP states that the pledges made were ‘subject to funding and powers’, indicating that central government funding will be required.
The manifesto sets out projects and targets that the Mayor would like to reach by 2027, 2032, and 2040. The vision is for a fully integrated transport system across the North East, linking buses, trains, road users and the Metro.
It states that an integrated transport system will “have a positive impact on communities in the North East, linking people to employment, education, health care provision, leisure opportunities and other essential services.”
Among the larger projects described is a plan to build an opening bridge at the mouth of the River Wear in Sunderland, creating a crossing that would boost connectivity while allowing ships to operate.
In her opening statement on the LTP, McGuiness said, “The North East deserves a world-class transport network, and the plan I consult on here sets out my transport promises to the people of this region.
“This plan outlines a joined-up network – simple and affordable to use with wider-reaching infrastructure that is fit for the future. It will be greener, more reliable, and safer. Wherever you are in the region, it will be accessible, both physically and financially.
“From job creation to ending child poverty, the North East transport network has a vital role in my plans to create real opportunity across our region. It is a crucial growth lever, but when it goes wrong it is an insurmountable barrier.
“That’s why, over the next 15 years, I will work with people and organisations across the region to create that network, with real delivery target dates built into these plans, as well as measures to track improvement.
“For this plan to succeed it has to be a shared plan that reflects the many needs of our region, and I look forward to people across the North East having their say on our joint future.”
