14 engagement events have been revealed

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has announced engagement events next month (September) for local residents to see how the project to bring the Metro to Washington is moving forward, including possible station locations along the route.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness on the Leamside Line, which is set to form part of the Washington Metro extension. | sn

placeholder image — North East Mayor Kim McGuinness on the Leamside Line, which is set to form part of the Washington Metro extension. | sn

The absence of a Metro line in Washington has been a long running grievance for the new town’s residents. After 45 years of waiting, in June last year (2025) mayor McGuinness announced that £900m of funding had been secured as part of a £1.85bn pound Government funding package to invest in the region’s transport network.

It was announced that the first Metro trains are expected to arrive in Washington in 2033.

The 13km extension of the existing Metro would see three stations created in Washington, linking the town up with the rest of the network.

And Mayor McGuiness is now keen to hear from residents about their views on the development, including where these stations should be located. During 14 public consultation events, residents will have the opportunity to hear from members of the project team at Nexus about latest progress, as well as being able to provide feedback, and ask questions.

The public will also have the chance to see more details of the proposed route and suggested station locations, following a feasibility study carried out this year.

The proposed new Washington extension Metro line. | Nexus

Mayor McGuiness said: “We’re bringing the Metro to Washington and I want local people to be able to ask questions and make comments on our plans for the route and its stations at events throughout the area this September.

“We’ve already started work on what will be the first new Metro line for 30 years and a key part of our vision for the Angel Network, a world class transport system for local people.

“Metro to Washington is about more than public transport, it is about how we help local people into jobs by making it easier and more affordable to get around – whether that’s people from Washington or travelling to the town for factories in and around Nissan.

“The route has been surveyed by engineers to identify possible locations for three new stations and I want to share that with local people to see what they think.”

An outline business case for the project will be completed at the start of 2027.

Paul Welford, Major Projects Director at Nexus, said: “Following the feasibility study earlier this year, we are excited to share the latest proposals through a series of drop-in sessions. This builds on the public engagement events we carried out last year.

“We are committed to listening to local people and ensuring their views help shape the project as it develops. We are already in discussions with landowners that could be impacted and want to engage with more members of the wider community.

“The format will be informal drop-in sessions, so that people can pop in and speak to us on a one-to-one basis. We’re keen to listen to as many views as possible.”

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Metro to Washington will be the first new Metro line for 30 years when it opens, providing a new route between the cities of Sunderland and Newcastle through Washington.

The extension includes new proposed stations at Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South. The Metro to Washington extension would run along the northern section of the former Leamside Line – with work also underway to re-open the railway line in full in the future.