TYNE AND WEAR METRO

That this House notes the Tyne and Wear Metro is a successful integrated publicly-owned and publicly accountable railway achieving record levels of punctuality and passenger numbers and welcomes the vital role that the Metro plays in delivering high quality passenger services to the North East; further notes that the Metro's infrastructure and operations require significant investment and welcomes the Government's commitment to provide funds; is deeply concerned however that this funding may be dependent on fragmenting the Metro and privatising the Metro's operations and some of the Metro's infrastructure; notes that this is against the original proposal from Metro management who made the case that in order to provide best value there should be a vertically integrated railway within the whole of the Metro; believes that the best interests of passengers will be served by the Metro remaining as a unified railway in the public sector where every penny of funds invested is spent on improving passenger services; and fully supports the in-house bids that would keep the Tyne and Wear Metro in the public sector.