Mayor calls for rail fair freeze to include Metro

> Kim McGuinness at Northumberland Park Metro station in North Tyneside

- DANIEL HOLLAND Local democracy reporter

Park Metro station in North Tyneside

A FREEZE on rail fares for the first time in 30 years should be extended to the Tyne and Wear Metro, the North East mayor has urged.

The Government announced over the weekend that rail ticket prices will be frozen at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget today, in an effort to ease cost of living pressures.

But the freeze applies only to regulated fares on England's train network and not to local public transport services like the Metro.

Passengers were warned earlier this month that the Metro is facing a £5m deficit and will become “unsustainable” without action to boost income, with Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella outlining plans to “maximise” revenue from ticket fares and other sources.