The Tyne and Wear Metro’s electricity bills are set to jump by millions of pounds, as the struggling rail network grapples with the cost of living crisis.
In yet another blow to the Metro’s finances after a devastating couple of years that have required multiple government bailouts to keep the system going, the cost of powering its trains has escalated dramatically. Bosses at operator Nexus predict that the Metro’s high voltage power bills will come in a whopping £4m higher than expected this year, a report has revealed.
Metro passengers have already been hit with a rise in ticket prices of up to 9.5% this year in a bid to stave off cuts to frontline services, as public transport systems across the country face a continuing cash crisis. Local councils also reluctantly agreed to up their funding to Nexus to help plug a £21m black hole in its budget earlier this year.
