Mayor announces £208m transport investment

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness has today (Tuesday 11 March 2025) outlined £208m of Local Transport Plan projects, the first phase of £800m of investment she will make across the region's transport network over the next three years.

Ahead of the North East Combined Authority Cabinet meeting in March, the Mayor has set out her transport priorities and funded investments that will transform transport in the region by 2027.

The Mayor's investment will deliver:

·       A new North Shields Ferry Landing - safeguarding the iconic Shields Ferry and creating an improved service for thousands of passengers across the Tyne.  

·       Stepping up the roll-out of mobile and smart ticketingon Metro and local rail.

·       100km of better walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure- including a route from St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to Blyth, a new link between Washington and Northern Spire in Sunderland, improvements on the National Cycle Network between Jarrow and Hebburn and active travel upgrades in Gateshead at MetroGreen.

·       New Metro gatelines at key stations - supporting the improvement on public transport for women and girls and other groups and protecting fares.

·       Safety and accessibility improvements including improved bus stops across the North East and better connected and integrated stations.

·       £23m of guaranteed investment for County Durham- bringing Durham into the region's main transport funding programme aligned with the other six local authorities.

·       £15.8m for up to 1,000 new electric vehicle (EV) charge-points in residential areas and chargers at key destinations and public transport interchanges.

·       An additional £21.7m of highways maintenance funding for next financial year delivering repairs and renewals right across the region.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, said: "For too long we have put up with an inadequate transport network which is in urgent need of investment. Today I am pleased to confirm £208m of projects that I will deliver by 2027, revitalising our transport network and providing a more accessible, safer and better-connected system which will greatly benefit local people.

"I'm proud to confirm that I will fund a brand-new Ferry Landing in North Shields, the roll-out of smart ticketing on Metro and local rail, new gatelines to improve safety - especially for women and girls on our Metro system, £23m in funding for County Durham, 100km of better walking, wheeling and cycle routes, extra electric vehicle charge points and safer, more accessible bus stops and stations.

"I have been clear from the outset that I will invest in our transport system to create more opportunities for local people and I am delivering on that promise. I have bigger, longer-term plans for our region and we'll be investing more in due course but this initial £208m is the first phase of a major £800m capital investment programme which we will roll-out over the next three years to revive our network, and improve public transport and active travel for all.

"We are rolling up our sleeves and getting on with the job at hand of investing heavily in transport to reverse the decades of under investment in the North East."

The funding package announced includes ongoing and new investments across multiple modes and is expected to be delivered by 2027.

This is subject to approval by the Mayor and North East Combined Authority Cabinet in March.