Ending region's travel woes will need more money

FAR more money is needed to end the North East's transport “nightmare” despite a £1.85 billion boost, the region’s mayor admits.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

Last week brought the news that the Tyne and Wear Metro will be extended to Washington thanks to confirmation of a major funding settlement from the Government to fund a variety of infrastructure upgrades, with that new line expected to be open by 2033.

But mayor Kim McGuinness said on Tuesday that there was still an “awful lot more to do” to resolve travel headaches across the North East, as she backed calls to revive the dualling of the A1 and improvements to bottleneck roundabouts on the A19. The widening of the A1 in Northumberland and upgrades to the notoriously congested A19 junctions at Moor Farm and Seaton Burn have all been deemed poor value for money by the Government.