(02 Sep 2026, 9:05 pm)Storx wrote Honestly, I'd love to see this new line being used more for a hub network, which has the potential to open more links. Something like the below:



So it'd be extended to Penshaw instead of Sunderland with a major interchange, including parking, with buses from all the local areas connecting to it so people can get to Newcastle and beyond with a quick change. I think omitting Penshaw right now is just a mistake. Maybe you could build a supermarket and other facilities there if there's space?

From there, build a new BRT from the Washington North station doing the 56 route to the East and heading to the Galleries to the West, with improvements potentially being done to cut some of the corners and major bus prioritisation; ie. making Southwick bus only so North Sunderland, a deprived area, get's something. Any remaining money being spent on the green corridors. 

Missing out Penshaw is just wrong imo; it's a large area with pretty poor public transport and there's now a new Metro line passing by with no sensible spot to connect to the thing. It's imo just parochial issues and Sunderland City Centre must be linked, rather than actually doing what's best for people. There's a reason why there's 5 double deckers heading to Newcastle from Hetton etc and only 2 single deckers around half the North East to Sunderland; people don't want to go to Sunderland.

By the time you've extended it to 'Washington South', and given you're putting it across the planned viaduct anyway, you may as well extend it to South Hylton? 

I think we need to stop letting perfect be the enemy of good with things like this. It's taken an absolute age to even get to this stage, and if this gets completed then people can start to make the argument for further extensions - or schemes like the heavy rail reopening of the southern section of the Leamside Line. I would also say that if you don't think there's enough to support a Metro (which is simply an extension to an already very well used system), I would be doubtful that there's anywhere near enough support or demand for a separate BRT system in that area. 

Pretending that people don't want to go to Sunderland is disingenuous, there's a huge population there, an annoyingly well-supported football team, and a university. There's also all of the people who live in Sunderland who work in Washington. As well as this opening up new connections, it also makes current journeys significantly easier for some people. 

If this gets completed I think the next big scheme in the NE needs to be something in the West End of Newcastle, but given I think it's impossible for the Metro to be extended that way now then I'm not sure what form this would need to take.