What does the project involve?
Metro to Washington is a 13km extension to the Tyne and Wear Metro system. It forms a key part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness’ vision to transform local transport and create an integrated network spanning the region.
Using former railways including part of the Leamside Line, the new route will link with existing stations at Pelaw and South Hylton via Washington. Plans include three new stations, at Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South.
Plans for the transformative expansion are progressing well and it is hoped that it will be operational by 2033.
Why Metro to Washington matters
Metro to Washington will:
Unlock access to highly skilled jobs and opportunities, connecting a world-leading manufacturing zone and supporting economic growth across the region. It’s expected to deliver almost eight million additional passenger journeys a year, with each Metro journey generating £11.80 for the regional economy.
Deliver clean, green, accessible and modern integrated transport for a healthier, forward-looking North East. It’s forecast to cut carbon emissions by nearly 87,000 tonnes a year, mainly by removing nearly 1.9m car journeys from the region’s roads.
Build a resilient and secure public transport solution to meet demand in Washington and the wider region, helping people feel safe and confident in a place they’re proud to call home. Until now, Washington has been one of the UK’s largest towns without a rail connection, and we’re delighted to be able to change that.
New route, new stations
The new extension will link with existing stations at Pelaw and South Hylton via Washington, with three new stations proposed, at Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South.
This map is indicative only. Exact station locations and names will be confirmed in summer 2026.
Get involved
Nine public consultation sessions were held across Washington, South Hylton and Heworth in summer 2025. There will be another round of sessions held in summer 2026, with more details to follow.
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- To give us your thoughts and feedback on the Metro to Washington project, complete this form.
- If you would like to sign up to our project newsletter, please drop us an email at: metrotowashington@nexus.org.uk
Making it happen
Funding and timeline
The Metro to Washington line is at the heart of the largest single investment package ever made in the North East’s transport networks. The first new Metro line for 30 years, it’ll be built as part of a £1.85bn funding deal agreed with the Government.
Progress is already well underway.
May 2025 – Appointment of Arup
We awarded a technical consultancy services framework to Arup. Through this framework, Arup are completing surveys and delivering an outline design for the new extension.
June 2025 – Mayor announces new Metro line in £1.85 billion funding deal
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness announced the first new Metro line for 30 years will be built as part of a £1.85bn funding deal agreed with the Government.
June and July 2025 – First public engagement sessions
We held a series of public engagement events to give people the chance to meet our project team, find out more about the plans, give feedback and ask questions. More engagement sessions are being planned for summer 2026.
January 2026 – Government announce funding for Northern Powerhouse Rail
Government confirmed that development work on the Leamside Line will be taken forward alongside Northern Powerhouse Rail – marking a significant endorsement of the Mayor’s plans to deliver a new rail line for County Durham.
Although this is a separate piece of work from Metro to Washington, it will see services run from Ferryhill to Newcastle and connect people to the new Washington line.
Summer 2026 – Station confirmation and public engagement
The second round of engagement sessions within Washington will coincide with the public announcement of where the stations and final route will be. Details of these are to be confirmed.
Metro to Washington FAQs
Metro to Washington is a new extension to the Tyne and Wear Metro network, linking existing stations at Pelaw and South Hylton via Washington. The route follows the former Leamside Line until it crosses the River Wear, and then follows the former Penshaw to Sunderland railway, known as the Penshaw Branch, into South Hylton.
Three new stations are proposed at Follingsby, Washington North and Washington South. The exact station names, locations and facilities have not yet been decided and will be confirmed in summer 2026.
Metro to Washington will reinstate the Leamside Line from Pelaw to Washington, but does not include work to develop the Leamside Line from the River Wear down to Ferryhill. The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority is currently examining the feasibility of reopening this section, as part of a separate piece of work.
The project will be transformational for Washington and the wider Tyne and Wear area. It will give almost 70,000 Washington residents easier and faster access to jobs, education and leisure facilities across Tyne and Wear. It will also connect residents from outside Washington to job opportunities with Nissan, the International Advanced Manufacturing Park, and at Follingsby, and stimulate economic growth. Overall it’s anticipated that it will generate eight million extra Metro journeys per year. Finally, it will reduce congestion, pollution, and carbon emissions on the region's roads.
We originally estimated the eventual cost of Metro to Washington as £900 million in the North East Local Transport Plan. We will publish a revised estimate as plans progress.
We hope that Metro to Washington could be operational by 2033.
Before construction can start we need to develop outline designs which consider physical conditions and environmental issues. We’ll follow a consultation process throughout.
We expect Metro to Washington to have a substantial positive environmental impact, reducing carbon emissions by around 87,000 tonnes per year by removing almost two million car journeys annually from regional roads. As a large construction project, it’s inevitable that there’ll also be some negative environmental impacts, such as on vegetation and habitats. We’re working in collaboration with Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland City Councils to avoid impacts wherever possible and, where that’s not possible, we’ll reduce the impacts and provide replacements.