Buckingham Group Contracting (Buckingham) has been appointed to carry out a £100million Metro track dualling scheme in South Tyneside.

Buckingham has won a £55million tender for the construction stage of Metro Flow project, which will see an existing freight line upgraded and electrified in South Tyneside between from September to December next year.

The dualling of three key sections of the route between Pelaw and Bede stations will create the capacity for an extra 24,000 Metro passenger journeys every day.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said the award of the contract was an important stage in a project that, when completed, would be of huge benefit to customers.

Metro Flow has secured £95m worth of funding from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

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Chief Operating Officer at Nexus, Martin Kearney, said: "We're looking forward to working with the Buckingham Group to deliver this exciting £100 million scheme that will vastly improve Metro services for our customers. It will involve the conversion of an existing heavy rail line, bringing it into dual use so that Metros can run alongside freight services, which is similar to the operations we have on the Sunderland line. This will increase the frequency of Metro services system-wide from twelve minutes to ten minutes outside of the central areas. For our passengers this means more regular services, and faster journey times. This project also gives us the scope to examine future opportunities to expand the network to other areas that are currently not served by Metro."

Rail Contracts Director at Buckingham, Rob Harwood, said: "Buckingham is delighted to win this project and be involved in improving the Metro network. Having recently completed the construction of the Howdon depot for Nexus in 2020, we are now able to continue working with Nexus and involving the supply chain in the region on this exciting project. We will also work with the local community to minimise any inconvenience and involve local schools and colleges in the educational benefits from a significant project in their area. The first phase will be detailed design this year and then mobilise for the construction phase early next year."