Bridget Phillipson, Labour Member of Parliament for Houghton and Sunderland South, has called for better transport services for her constituents through the extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Ms Phillipson made the call in her submission to a government consultation on light rail, which is considering the case for expanding rail services like the Tyne and Wear Metro.

In her letter, Ms Phillipson highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of bringing the Metro to Doxford Park, as well as the possibility of stations in Penshaw and Fencehouses through the reopening of the Leamside line.

Prior to contributing to the consultation, Ms Phillipson surveyed thousands of constituents in order to learn about their transport priorities for Houghton and Sunderland South.

The consultation closed on 19 May, with a response expected from the Department for Transport within the next three months.

Bridget Phillipson MP commented:

“I know that people in our community are fed up of having second-rate public transport.

Too many are forced to travel by car as a result, meaning pollution on our roads is getting worse. For those who rely on public transport, getting to where they need to be on time is often an expensive hassle.

That’s why I’ve made the case again for bringing the Tyne and Wear Metro to Houghton and Sunderland South – something I’ve been campaigning for since I was first elected in 2010.

It’s clear there’s real local demand for Metro services in our community. When I surveyed local constituents to find out their transport priorities for our area, the majority – over 60% – said extending the Tyne and Wear Metro to our area should be number one.

Bringing stations to Doxford Park, and to Fencehouses and Penshaw through the reopening of the Leamside line, would bring huge benefits for local people.

It would create jobs and investment in our area, while reducing congestion and improving air quality.

Our community deserves better public transport services, and I’ll keep pressing the government to deliver this by bringing the Metro to Houghton and Sunderland South.”