The Tees Valley Metro was a project to upgrade the Tees Valley Line and sections of the Esk Valley Line and Durham Coast Line to provide a faster and more frequent service across the North of England. In the initial phases the services would have been heavy rail mostly along existing alignments. The later phase would have introduced tram-trains to allow street running. The project was backed by all the local authorities through which the system would have run: Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees. Support was also forthcoming from the Department for Transport. The project was cancelled due to lack of funding, with the focus moving to the Northern Rail franchise.
Of the original Tees Valley Metro project, only the construction of a new station at James Cook University Hospital in 2014 has come to fruition, as well as the redevelopment of Hartlepool Station in 2024.
A number of the initially planned projects received preliminary funding in 2024, including expansion to Darlington station, improvements at Eaglescliffe, Thornaby and Teesside Airport, and the construction of a new Teesside Park station.
Route
The proposed initial routes would have used sections of the Tees Valley, Esk Valley and Durham Coast Lines. There were no plans as to the interoperability of the existing services and the planned metro services, but would have been considered at the next stage of the process. Several new stations would have been built across two phases.
Additional routes using street running were to be considered after Stage 2 was implemented.
Detailed plans
The project was planned to be delivered in two phases, with the first phase split into stages and further projects being delivered after.
In 2007, the full cost of the project was finalised as being £141.9 million, with an estimate of £88.8 million being allocated from existing funding. This left a £45 million funding gap, of which an estimated £14 million could be secured from local authorities with each of the 5 paying £3 million each. This was against an estimated £400 million of GVA benefits being generated for the community, which would be a £1 to £2.80 cost return. By August 2009, project costs had increased to £220 million.
It was also calculated that the running cost of the regional rail system would increase from £5.7 million to £6.6 million a year, but due to predicted increased passenger revenue, would also result in £1.5 million less per year in subsidy payments for the central Government.
Phase 1 - Stage 1 Initial work was proposed to be complete by December 2012 and would have included new stations, rollingstock and timetable improvements, and station upgrades.
Service and rolling stock improvements An increase in services from 1–2 to four trains per hour on the Tees Valley Line between Darlington and Saltburn. A reduction in journey time from 58 minutes to 48 between Darlington and Saltburn. Construction of additional trackage for future capacity. New rolling stock which would be more modern and lighter than existing stock (Possibly refurbished Class 156 "Sprinters" rolling stock) (New rollingstock was also mentioned for Phase 2).
Station upgrades
Possible new platforms at Middlesbrough, and a new entrance to the north of the station creating access points for the Boho and Middlehaven developments. Darlington Station would have had two new bay platforms on the east side to reduce the need for local services to cross the East Coast Main Line. The new platforms would be connected to the main building by a new footbridge and lifts. The existing car parking places that would have been lost with the new platforms would be replaced at a similar distance from the station, and a new entrance, including pick-up/drop-off facilities, was considered on the eastern side. Eaglescliffe station receiving new ticket office, waiting facility, outdoor shelters, electronic information displays, and possible extension to car park (occurred after cancellation) (new footbridge started 2024). Thornaby station having footbridge replaced with a modern structure (occurred after cancellation). Redcar Central Station upgrades were considered for upgrading the existing footbridge, waiting shelters and passenger information facilities. There would also be three new pedestrian links – one each to the new civic quarter, to the town centre and new seafront and to Redcar & Cleveland College, as well as a new bus/rail interchange and pick-up/drop-off facilities (occurred after cancellation). Saltburn Station would receive new shelters and new electronic information displays (occurred after cancellation). Hartlepool Station would receive a new glazed waiting area on the main platform. The existing bay platform would have been repaved and new waiting shelters provided and the north side platform would have been resurfaced and had new artwork installed. New electronic information screens would also have been provided. There was also mention of a new bus/rail interchange.
New stations
Relocation of Teesside Airport station to serve Durham Tees Valley Airport (Airport is now Teesside International) better. The new station would have been near the road bridge that connects the Airport link road to the A67 as well as a planned new hotel development. A platform in each direction would have been provided, along with stairs and ramps to the road bridge. A new waiting area was also discussed, potentially with electronic information screens displaying rail and air departure information. The station would have been linked to the terminal via a separate footpath, with bus connections also been located at the terminal. A station at Wilton (possibly a relocation/renaming of Redcar British Steel). A new station at James Cook University Hospital (opened 2014 after project cancellation).
These improvements were estimated to cost £30 – 40 million.
Phase 1 - Stage 2 The second stage of Phase 1 was due to be completed in December 2014. New stations at Teesside Park (construction started 2024), Morton Park and Middlehaven. New rolling stock, Class 172 Turbostar was put forward. (New rollingstock was also mentioned for Phase 2) Refurbishment of other stations on Route 1.
The cost of these improvements was estimated at £50 – 60 million.
Phase 2
Service and rolling stock
Track capacity and signalling improvements along the Darlington to Saltburn line (providing east – west connections). Improvements to existing stations along the route. Examination of the best means of replacing life-expired rolling stock to allow increased frequencies whilst minimising any increase in operating costs. (New rollingstock was also mentioned to be delivered in Phase 2, in contradiction to other documents). Ensuring that the network is capable of accommodating 9’6” freight containers. This mainly involves platform alterations, changes to rail signals, partial reconstruction of the overbridge at Dinsdale rail station, and upgrading the freight rail network to W10 gauge clearance. This is to support the growth of PD Ports logistics platform at Teesport.
New stations
Morton Palms Teesside Park The Ings Hartlepool Interchange Middlehaven (May also have been constructed in an unconfirmed Phase 3) Nunthorpe Parkway Queens Meadow (May have been constructed in an unconfirmed Phase 3) (Teesside Airport was also mentioned to be constructed in Phase 2 instead of Phase 1)
Further details
During press releases, executive documents, and draft business cases, numerous further improvements and additional infrastructure was mentioned that would occur outside the two core phases, were mentioned in an unconfirmed "Phase 3", or were not given details as to when they would occur.
Infrastructure and improved heavy rail services There was also mention of the Boldon East Curve reinstatement, York-Northallerton and Northallerton-Eaglescliffe line speed increases, and Stillington Branch signalling and line speed improvements.
Release of track capacity on the ECML to allow more trains to run from Darlington to York and Newcastle.
Enhanced heavy rail connections along the Durham Coast line, including Grand Central.
Fast and frequent connections to the ECML at Darlington, TransPennine Express services stopping at Thornaby, and Grand Central services for Eaglescliffe and Teesside Airport.
Additional stations
New Riverside Stadium station for Middlesbrough Football Club (possibly an alternative name for Middlehaven). New East Cleveland Park and Ride (possibly an alternative name for Nunthorpe Parkway). Possible new stations around Eaglescliffe, Preston Farm, and Thornaby. Hartlepool Interchange integrating both bus and rail services (possibly only a name for a bus hub adjacent to the station like what was created after). New Mowden Park station for Darlington Arena (possibly an alternative name for Morton Palms), which would have served Darlington F.C. but is now home to Darlington Mowden Park R.F.C. Further extension with stations in Guisborough. Further extension with stations in Bishop Auckland. Further extension with stations in Wynyard. Further extension with stations in Ingleby Barwick. Further extension with stations in the Headland.
Street-running trams
Further details about the project also involved possible further extensions to Guisborough, Bishop Auckland, Wynyard, Ingleby Barwick, East Cleveland, and The Headland at Hartlepool once the first two phases ended. This had possible street-running sections as listed below. +Proposed Further Street-Running Extensions [Source:]StartEndDarlingtonDarlington Town CentreStockton-On-TeesStockton Town CentreStockton-On-TeesIngleby BarwickRedcar and ClevelandGuisboroughMiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Town Centre
Bus network There was also the expansion of the Tees Valley Bus Network as well as integration of metro stations into its system, as well as the creation of express bus services where heavy rail/metro services are not economically viable in the short term.
Timeline and shelving In November 2005, Darlington MP and former Health Secretary Alan Milburn first started partitioning that the Tyne and Wear Metro network to be extended into County Durham and Teesside. In 2006, this evolved to being a business case being submitted to the Department for Transport by all of the involved local authorities, as well as Tees Valley Regeneration, with a reply from the DfT being given by the end of 2007.
In March 2007 the Tees Valley Metro was mentioned within a parliamentary debate, where the Secretary of State for Transport at the time (Tom Harris) stated the Department for Transport had "no plans to fund the development of a Tees Valley Metro system and has received no request to do so".
The project had originally received approval from the Interim Regional Transport Board in September 2008, allowing more detailed plans and a public consultation to go ahead. Construction of the first phase was due to commence in 2010 and would have been completed by the end of 2013. Phase one would cost around £80 million and Network Rail had already committed £40 million for signalling improvements. The second phase would cost a further £140 million and would have been in place by 2018.
In March 2009, the Secretary of State for Transport at the time (Paul Clark), stated that the DfT was making "£5.46 million available to Middlesbrough over the three financial years, 2008-11" for general funding to transport which could be used for its plans. He also stated that the DfT was "committed to working with the Tees Valley Metro promoters to help them to develop their business case".
In June 2009, Nick Brown Minister for the North-East, said he could not guarantee that the work done in phase one would lead to a Metro service and stated that there was “no permission for phase two or three” from the DfT.