NEXUS, which owns and operates the 78km Tyne & Wear light metro centred on Newcastle-upon-Tyne, invites expressions of interest by July 9 for a British-government-funded project to replace its entire 90-car train fleet with light rail EMUs.

TYNE and Wear public transport authority Nexus announced on January 25 that it has launched the procurement process for a contract to supply and maintain a new fleet of trains for the Tyne & Wear metro network, which serves Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Gateshead, and Sunderland.

BRITAIN’s Chancellor of the Exchequer announced as part of the government’s autumn budget on November 22 that the Treasury will allocate £337m to fund the replacement of Tyne & Wear Metro’s train fleet.

NEWCASTLE-Upon-Tyne transport authority Nexus will launch a public consultation next month on plans to renew the Tyne and Wear Metro train fleet as it prepares a bid for funding from Britain’s Department for Transport (DfT).

A 20-year plan to invest £1bn in metro and regional rail services around Newcastle and Sunderland was approved by the leadership board of the North East Combined Authority (Neca) on July 19.