Basically to sum up, infrastructure has just been renewed and trains refurbished but they will only last another 10 years, opportunity to draw up growth plan and 7 routes have been conceived. Aim is to grow ridership from 45m to 60m over the next 15 years, which seems quite modest.
Sunderland to Seaham
This would take the form of an extension of the ‘joint running’ arrangements currently used between Pelaw and Sunderland. Up to three additional on-track stations could be provided. The proposal would be dependent upon predicted customer demand, future line capacity and any decisions by Network Rail about future electrification.
Sunderland (South Hylton) - Washington - Pelaw
With a population of around 55,000 Washington is one of the largest areas in Tyne and Wear without access to Metro and there have been regular requests received for the situation to be reviewed. A potential solution involves use of sections of the disused Leamside rail corridor south of Pelaw and the former Sunderland to Durham rail line west of South Hylton with a connecting spur, and a diversion westwards into the Galleries town centre area. This corridor could enable the introduction of a circular route connecting Pelaw, Washington, South Hylton, Sunderland and East Boldon and Pelaw in both directions.
Cobalt Link
This route could connect both arms of the North Tyneside Metro loop running from Howdon/Percy
Main to Northumberland Park and serving the Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate, Silverlink and Cobalt
Business Park destinations en route. The route would link this corridor of employment, retail, leisure and housing activity to Metro destinations across Tyne and Wear potentially through the operation of an ‘inner circle’ service linking the Wallsend, Cobalt and Benton areas in either direction.
The corridor’s proximity to the southern end of the Blyth and Tyne route offers possible links with planned rail services to and from the Ashington, Bedlington and Blyth areas.
Metrocentre and Team Valley (Street Running)
Potential on-street Metro operations connecting Gateshead town centre with the Metrocentre/Metrogreen and Team Valley areas have been identified. These would share roads with other vehicles as currently occurs in the Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham areas. Metro services to and from these major employment and shopping destinations would extend the reach of Metro to areas hitherto unserved and help to relieve congestion on the surrounding road network. On-street stops could be introduced along these routes, similar to those used on the Manchester Metrolink network and elsewhere. There is the potential for cross-river on-street Metro links to west Newcastle or Newcastle city centre via a new bridge near the Metrocentre, or shared use of one of the existing bridges in the NewcastleGateshead area. More detailed work is under way in early-2014 to scope out in greater detail what options may be technically feasible.
West Newcastle (Street Running)
West Newcastle is one of the most densely populated areas of Tyne and Wear, but has not yet benefited from the advantages of Metro in the same way as other areas of the city. A corridor with potentially high levels of demand runs from the city centre westwards to the A69 area, via the A186 West Road or alternative road corridors. This would run on-street and would ideally form part of a complementary NewcastleGateshead Metro street tram operation linking to and from the Metrocentre and Team Valley areas, depending upon the feasibility of cross-Tyne operations.
South Shields to Doxford Park via Sunderland city centre (Street Running)
The potential of street-running Metro operations could also be employed across areas of South Tyneside and Sunderland that are not served by existing Metro services. A corridor extending north from Sunderland city centre to South Shields via Monkwearmouth and Cleadon, and westwards to
Doxford Park and Doxford International would provide light rail links to the major employment centre next to the A19 as well as providing direct Metro services between Sunderland and South Shields.
Further investigation and assessment of the options above will be undertaken as appropriate, taking Strategy consultees’ views into account, to determine which (if any) should be taken forward to the stage of full business case preparation once their justification in demand and feasibility terms has
been established in greater detail.
Passenger Predictions
Sunderland to Seaham 5.011m
Pelaw to South Hylton via Washington 3.954m
Cobalt Link 1.214m
Metrocentre 11.276m
Team Valley 4.220m
West Newcastle 13.600m
South Shields to Sunderland to Doxford Park 5.444m
Alternative strategy would be Metro expansion with tram-train routes to Durham and Northumberland, Ponteland.
As to fleet specification its not very specific saying only the existing fleet is obsolete technologically, energy inefficent and cannot be modernised to provide the latest passenger comforts. The future type of use will play a major role in the selection of rolling stock but they would like whatever used to share the same visual style and be instantly recognisable as T&WM.
(the mocked up future rolling stock shot looks to be an Alstom Citadis tram)