Fresh calls for Sunderland Metro expansion after proposals appear left out of Government plans

Labour politicians in Sunderland have called for the Tyne & Wear Metro to be expanded throughout the city and want the Government to "put its money where its mouth is."

The calls were made for the Metro to expand to Hendon, Ryhope and Doxford Park among other locations following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s "promise to reinvest £36 billion of ring-fenced HS2 money into new regional transport projects".

After cancelling much of the controversial HS2, Mr Sunak said money saved would be used to fund “Network North”, a new scheme to improve bus and rail routes across the North of England.

However, there is no sign that North East proposals, such as reopening the disused Leamside Line between Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, will happen.

The line would include the much-loved, historic Victoria Viaduct, which has been unused since 1991.

Cllr Lindsey Leonard, Labour councillor for Ryhope, said: “If this project was in the South East of England, then we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. Just look at the Elizabeth Line.

“Almost £19billion was spent on the development before it opened in October last year, yet the expansion of the Metro would not even cost 5% of that.

“If the Government has ever been serious about Levelling Up, then the expansion of the Tyne & Wear Metro to incorporate Hendon, Ryhope and Doxford Park is exactly the type of infrastructure project they should be supporting to prove they mean what they say.”

Cllr Leonard is backed by Stephen Lewis Elms, Labour candidate for Hendon in the 2024 local elections.

Meanwhile the council's Liberal Democrat group tabled a notice of motion called "Bringing the Metro to Hendon, Grangetown, Ryhope and Beyond" for a full council meeting on November 15. However, it was not discussed.

Sunderland's Conservative leader, Cllr Antony Mullen, has rejected Labour's criticisms, saying: "This is a bit rich from Labour, given (council leader) Graeme Miller opposed putting money into subsidising the current metro system just last year after it suffered major losses during the pandemic.

"Sunderland Conservatives are fully committed to expanding the Metro in Tyne and Wear alongside a programme of new bus routes for inner-city and cross-regional travel.

"All prospective Conservative candidates for the new North East Mayor have committed to funding the necessary feasibility study to make an expansion possible - and we call on the Labour candidate (Kim McGuinness) to do the same, for both the Washington loop and the Doxford extension.

"Labour's comparison of the journey from Hendon to Ryhope to an infrastructure project in a global capital city that runs from Reading to Essex is a naked attempt to mislead people into thinking these are comparable projects and that the city is losing out.

"The Elizabeth Line serves Heathrow Airport, the fourth most used airport in the world - and therefore has a much more significant customer base that is paying for it."