Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what additional financial provision has been made available to support the Tyne and Wear Metro between (a) April 2021 to March 2022 and (b) in subsequent years above the historic and agreed Metropolitan Rail Grant.

The Department for Transport has reviewed the recovery plans which light rail operators, including Nexus, submitted as part of receiving emergency Government funding, and will discuss those with each light rail operator in March. The Department continues to be in regular discussions with light rail operators to assess funding requirements beyond the currently agreed emergency funding package.

To date the Government has announced up to £41 million in Light Rail Revenue Restart Grant (LRRRG) scheme funding for the Tyne & Wear Metro for the period from March 2020 to the end of the 20/21 financial year.