Nexus, the public body that runs the Tyne and Wear Metro, has submitted a business case to the Government for replacement of the network’s signalling system.

The bid, backed by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, is for a major investment estimated at around £400 million to upgrade the current signalling system, which dates from the 1970s and 80s when the system was built.

Originally submitted to ministers at the end of last year, the business case has now been reviewed by the Department for Transport (DfT) transport board and endorsed to move to the next phase of the development process.

The current signalling system is a traditional arrangement, with mechanical relays and track circuits, has a 40-year design life and is increasingly difficult to maintain.

Regular maintenance and repairs have allowed Nexus engineers to extend its designed life.

However, component parts and the relevant skills required to keep the system operational are becoming increasingly hard to come by.

This has led to a significant knock-on effect, with 62% of all infrastructure-related delays being traced to signalling asset failures, a proportion that can only increase.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness commented that in recent years, an ageing fleet and rail infrastructure such as trains, tracks, and signalling have required regular funding to safeguard services in the long term and to provide reliable service.

Since 2010, Nexus has invested £1 billion in a fleet of new trains, and major renewals of the track, bridges, overhead line and other supporting systems.

Approval of the business case to renew the signalling system will ensure the full benefits of this investment are realised and secure Metro’s long-term future.

In July 2024, Nexus announced an £8.8m upgrade for the network’s control room.

Cathy Massarella, Managing Director of Nexus
“It’s absolutely vital that we replace the signalling system on Metro. We have submitted our Strategic Outline Business Case to demonstrate the need for replacement and that has now been reviewed by the DfT. We will now progress to the next stage of development and will remain in dialogue with the Government about this very important issue. Signalling is the safety-critical system which underpins the operation of our Metro system. Without signals we can’t run our trains. We’ve had the same signalling technology since the late 1970s and it needs to be replaced. We are working with analogue technology in a digital era. This investment is critical for Metro and critical for the whole region. A new signalling system is what we need to ensure the long-term future and sustainability of the Metro and also to pave the way for any future expansion, which is vital for growth, jobs and improved connectivity.”