NECA Urge Government to Include Metro in Rail Cap

Local TV

The North East mayor is calling on the Government to extend its newly announced rail fare freeze to the Tyne and Wear Metro, warning that the network faces a five million pound deficit and could become "unsustainable" without action. Over the weekend, ministers confirmed that regulated rail fares in England will be frozen for the first time in 30 years, but the move does not cover local transport services like the Metro. Ellie Ferman has more on this now.

Transcript

00:00A freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years should be extended to the Tyne and We Are

00:04Metro. That's the message from the North East Mayor, as pressure mounts on the region's public

00:09transport network. The government confirmed at the weekend that regulated rail fares in England

00:14will be frozen in this week's budget in an effort to ease the cost of living crisis. But while that

00:19freeze will apply to mainline rail, it will not include local transport systems such as the Metro.

00:25And that's prompted concerns here in the North East, where the Metro is facing a £5 million deficit

00:30and warnings that the service could become unsustainable without bringing in more income.

00:36Nexus Managing Director Cathy Massavella has already signalled plans to maximise revenue from ticket

00:41sales and other sources. Mayor Kim McGuinness says the government must step in to help keep Metro

00:46prices down just as they are doing for rail passengers elsewhere. She has formally asked

00:51ministers to extend the rail fare subsidy to the region's Metro and Shields Ferry network.

00:56The Mayor says the freeze is welcome news for national rail users, but warns that fares across

01:01the board remain too complicated and too expensive. She also revealed plans to extend the region's £1

01:07fare for under-21s and the £2.50 adult bus cap until at least March 2027, if the government commits

01:14long-term funding. Earlier this year, Metro and Ferry Fares rose by an average of 4.6%,

01:20taking a maximum single ticket to £4.70, although cheaper pop-up pay-as-you-go fares remain available.

01:26A revised fares proposal will go before the North East Combine Authority early next year.

01:32National League Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the English rail fare freeze will ease pressure on

01:36family budgets, while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander claims it could save commuters

01:42on some routes more than £300 a year.

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