I am pleased therefore to launch this Policy Statement which has been produced after considerable discussion by members of the Passenger Transport Authority (PTA) and our stakeholders, particularly the five local District Councils in Tyne and Wear, Nexus and the major bus operators.

Since the publication of the last Policy Statement, public transport has been an issue high on the political agenda not just locally but nationally.

We have begun to see the benefits of the 2000 Transport act and the 10 Year Plan, notably the introduction of a Local Transport Plan process which for the first time embraces all transport in Tyne and Wear and requires the PTA to work closely with the five Local Authorities to determine both the plan and transport strategies for the conurbation. We have been particularly successful as an area in obtaining significant capital sums from Government for public transport projects, many of which are now underway or near completion.

While Metro patronage has risen in the last two years - most recently because of the completion to Sunderland - overall public transport use, while remaining the highest of the conurbations outside London, continues to decline as it has done year on year since the deregulation of buses in 1986.

While the main contributor to this decline has been the extensive rise in car ownership - and I would not wish to discourage such a rise - its implications in terms of increasing car use are extremely worrying.

At current rates of increase in car use, and if the current practice for most car commuters to travel by themselves continues, the region will see substantial increases in traffic congestion in the next decade which will be extremely damaging to both our economy and environment.

Hence the production - and implementation - of the PTA's Policy Statement is vital if the quality of life of local residents in Tyne and Wear is to continue to increase.

Councillor David Wood
Chairman