(02 Sep 2026, 9:51 pm)PH - BQA wrote 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.

Don't disagree but it's more about the cost for me. 

I have a feeling that half the budget is going to be going on that little spur. 

The A19 issue isn't going to be cheap, as widening a bridge under one of the busiest roads in the North East (believe it's the 3rd or 4th that part) isn't easy as you can't just shut it. It's seems a right engineering head ache as things usually go over the top which is easier but that definitely can't happen there. 

Not to mention 3 other bridges at Cox Green and South Hylton, on top of the land acquisition on the top of all this. 

Is this spur worth hypothetically £300/£400m to save a few people on the outskirts of Washington 10 minutes on a bus?