UK: Arup has been appointed to undertake a feasibility study for the proposed Tyne & Wear Metro extension to Washington, including survey and design work for infrastructure including stations and bridges.
The 13·5 km Washington Metro Loop would use former railway alignments to link the existing Tyne & Wear Metro stations at Pelaw and South Hylton via Washington, which is one of the largest UK towns without a rail service.
‘I said that I will bring the Metro to Washington and I’m delivering on that promise’, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said on May 29. ‘Last summer, I announced £8m to kick-start work to bring the Metro to Washington which is a major part of my ambition to re-open the whole Leamside rail route through County Durham and Sunderland.’
The feasibility study will be used to develop an outline business case including economic impact data and estimated costings which will be used to argue for government funding for the project.
