Coronavirus: Chancellor urged to back 'vital' Metro rescue

Services have been heavily reduced after the fall in passenger numbers

North East MPs have urged the Chancellor to urgently commit to saving the Tyne and Wear Metro from the "devastating" impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Local transport bosses say they need a £10m government bailout to keep the network running until July.

A letter signed by 10 MPs said a "failure to act" could lead to job losses and service cuts.

The government said it is investigating the situation "as a matter of urgency".

The MPs, including Newcastle North's Catherine McKinnell, South Shields' Emma Lewell-Buck and Newcastle East's Nick Brown, urged Chancellor Rishi Sunak to commit "wholehearted support to a financial package for light rail systems like the Tyne and Wear Metro".

The letter to the Treasury said the transport system will be "vital" to ensuring the region's economy can recover when the pandemic is over, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"A failure to act now could lead to long-term service reductions and job losses which would be devastating for our region's transport system and the people, businesses, and communities who rely on it," the document said.

"This is a challenge faced by light rail systems across our country. We urge you to ensure the Treasury is alert to the urgency of the issue and provides the financial support necessary."

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The system is losing about £1m a week after passenger numbers slumped amid the lockdown.

With an annual running cost of just over £100m, ticket sales would normally generate almost half of that figure.

In a letter sent to Ms McKinnell, transport secretary Grant Shapps said the government "understands the importance" of the Metro.

He added: "We are considering light rail across all of the systems that fall within England, outside London, and as a matter of urgency I have asked officials to work up further details of the impact of the revenue shortfall as a result of the coronavirus."