Capped Metro fares to be introduced in April
North East Combined AuthorityPlans to cap fares on the Tyne and Wear Metro have been approved by councillors.
From April, adult single tickets purchased with a Pop Card will be capped at no more than £2.50, while the maximum price for day tickets will be £5.
The North East Combined Authority's cabinet green-lit the pricing shake-up, which was previously described as the "biggest change to Metro fares in more than 20 years".
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said the new prices were designed to make public transport "better, easier and cheaper".
"Since we introduced our £2.50 bus cap, we've seen local people make nine million more journeys and we hope to see more people using the Metro now too," she said.
Fares for those aged up to 21 have also been frozen until 2027.
The new prices are being subsidised using £1m from the mayor's office.
Concerns have been raised over the impact of the fare changes on Nexus's financial position.
While some Pop Card prices are decreasing, passengers using paper tickets will see their fares increase.
Day tickets will also go up in price across all zones, while season tickets will rise by an average of 4.6%.
Nexus's finance and resources director, John Fenwick, said the new fares meant people would not pay more on the Metro than they would on a bus.
""The best way for customers to save is to use Pop PAYG [pay-as-you-go]," he said.
"These are the biggest savings we've been able to deliver for our customers in a very long time."
