Coronavirus: Trams and Metros to get Covid-19 cash

The Tyne and Wear metro will receive £8.5m over the next 12 weeks

Tram and Metro services in northern England and the Midlands are to get up to £68m in government funds.

Services in Sheffield, Tyne and Wear, Nottingham, the West Midlands, Manchester and Blackpool will receive cash to offset some Covid losses.

The services suffered a "significant impact" financially as usage dropped during the coronavirus pandemic, a spokeswoman said.

The funding is split into two parts with £35.4m over the next 12 weeks.

A further £32.4m to cover until the end of March 2021 will then be made available subject to a review, the DfT spokeswoman said.

Light Rail Minister Baroness Vere said such services "serve as a vital link for communities".

The first round of funding has been allocated as follows:

• £17.5m for Manchester Metrolink

• £8.5m for Tyne and Wear Metro

• £4.4m for Nottingham Express Transit

• £2.6m for Sheffield Supertram

• £1.9m for Midland Metro

• £352,000 for Blackpool Tramway

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, described the current situation as a "time of crisis" with passenger levels 65% below normal.

Finance director John Fenwick warned a recovery would be "slow", with a need for further government funding early next year "almost certain".

Councillor Martin Gannon, chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: "While this is of course good news for the region, we need longer-term certainty to avoid future cuts which would have a significant impact on the North East economy."

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