00:00A freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years should be extended to the Tyne and We Are
00:04Metro. That's the message from the North East Mayor, as pressure mounts on the region's public
00:09transport network. The government confirmed at the weekend that regulated rail fares in England
00:14will be frozen in this week's budget in an effort to ease the cost of living crisis. But while that
00:19freeze will apply to mainline rail, it will not include local transport systems such as the Metro.
00:25And that's prompted concerns here in the North East, where the Metro is facing a £5 million deficit
00:30and warnings that the service could become unsustainable without bringing in more income.
00:36Nexus Managing Director Cathy Massavella has already signalled plans to maximise revenue from ticket
00:41sales and other sources. Mayor Kim McGuinness says the government must step in to help keep Metro
00:46prices down just as they are doing for rail passengers elsewhere. She has formally asked
00:51ministers to extend the rail fare subsidy to the region's Metro and Shields Ferry network.
00:56The Mayor says the freeze is welcome news for national rail users, but warns that fares across
01:01the board remain too complicated and too expensive. She also revealed plans to extend the region's £1
01:07fare for under-21s and the £2.50 adult bus cap until at least March 2027, if the government commits
01:14long-term funding. Earlier this year, Metro and Ferry Fares rose by an average of 4.6%,
01:20taking a maximum single ticket to £4.70, although cheaper pop-up pay-as-you-go fares remain available.
01:26A revised fares proposal will go before the North East Combine Authority early next year.
01:32National League Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the English rail fare freeze will ease pressure on
01:36family budgets, while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander claims it could save commuters
01:42on some routes more than £300 a year.
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