Travel bosses are planning a ticket price cap for the Tyne and Wear Metro this winter - how to make sure you don't miss out

Bosses are set to introduce a temporary price limit on Metro tickets to help reduce the financial burden on passengers during the cost of living crisis and match an equivalent offer on buses.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed last month that Nexus chiefs were working up plans to launch a £2 cap for single tickets – potentially cutting the price of a single fare by two fifths – after the government confirmed all bus journeys in England would be capped at that level between January and March 2023.

Proposals due to be presented to North East leaders next week would see Metro prices capped at £2 for a single ticket and £4 for all-day travel – but only for passengers with a Pop smartcard.

If approved, the offer would run from January 2 to March 31 next year – after which ticket fares would go back to the standard level, with a potential fare hike set to be discussed in the coming months.

A North East Joint Transport Committee report states: “With Metro and bus services in the region generally complementing each other rather than competing, Nexus needs to make corresponding interventions so as to not disadvantage Metro customers who do not have access to bus services and to also ensure that Metro does not lose customers to bus where there is a cheaper alternative.”

Nexus has asked the Department for Transport to extend funding offered bus companies to fund the Metro price cap, but government help “seems unlikely”, the report claims.

The transport operator expects the offer will cost more than £300,000 over the three months and generate 9,000 extra journeys.

Popcard users have been previously been protected from price rises at the expense of paper tickets.

The £2 cap will also apply to the Pop 19-21 card and to bus services contracted by Nexus.

Nexus said the offer was only being made on Pop to “encourage further take up” of the pay as you go cards.