Ticket prices on the Tyne and Wear Metro could jump as much as 13.9% in a whopping fare hike this year.

New proposals have emerged that could see Metro passengers hit with significantly higher travel costs in April, with the cost of a day ticket due to rise by 50p.

Bosses at Nexus say the major price increases are needed to cover the network’s dramatically escalating running costs, with the Metro’s yearly high voltage power bill having spiralled to more than £20m due to the global energy crisis.

But passengers have been thrown a lifeline and are being urged to sign up for a Pop Pay As You Go card, which will have its fares frozen for the second year running.

Keeping ticket prices on Pop, which is available as a free smartcard or digitally on Android phones, at 2021 levels means that there will be considerable savings when compared to paper tickets – making it around £1 cheaper for a single journey and £1.35 less for a daysaver pass.

Under plans that will be put to Tyne and Wear councillors for approval next week, ticket prices for people who do not switch to a Pop card would increase dramatically from April 1 – with fares jumping by between 8.8% and 13.9% depending on what zones they cover.

The maximum cost of a single journey would rise from £3.90 to £4.30, a day ticket from a £5.70 to £6.20, a weekly pass from £24 to £24.40, and a four-week ticket from £81.30 to £90.20.

The new rates would come into force the day after a temporary fare cap of £2 for single journeys and £4 for all-day travel, which is also only available on Pop cards, comes to an end.

Customer services director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said that the changes were needed to “help us meet the challenge we face with higher Metro running costs”, with the higher fares expected to generate around £1.2m in extra revenue.

He added: “Metro is a public service that doesn’t make a profit, so we require Government support alongside the revenue that we get from fares, all of which goes back into keeping the network running.”

Under the proposals being put to members of the North East Joint Transport Committee next Thursday, Metro prices for young people using Pop Blue or Pop 19-21 smartcards would also be frozen – as would the price of Gold Cards for older and disabled passengers.

But the cost of travelling on the Shields Ferry would jump by up to 30p, though this would again be frozen for Pop card users.

Urging people to make the switch away from paper tickets, which the vast majority of passengers still use, Mr Lewis said: “Pop is the best product to travel on Metro. We really do recommend that customers make the switch, either by getting a free Pop card by applying for one online or through Google Pay if you have an Android smartphone.

“This is the second year running that we have frozen the price of our PAYG product in order to help our customers as much as we can with the rising cost of living. One in five Metro customers are now using Pop Pay As You Go and we will continue to encourage more people to go smart and enjoy the lowest fares that we have.”

Here is a full summary of the proposed Metro and Shields Ferry fares that could come into force on Saturday, April 1:

The cost of a single journey paper Metro ticket will go up from £2.30 to £2.60 for one zone, from £3.20 to £3.60 for two zones, and from £3.90 to £4.30 for three zones;

The cost of a one zone adult day ticket will go up from £3.60 to £4.10, a two zone Day Ticket is up from £4.70 to £5.20, an all-zone Day Ticket is up from £5.70 to £6.20.

Equivalent tickets purchased using a  Pop Pay As You Go smartcard will stay frozen at 2021 levels, as will fares on the 19-21 Pop card and Pop Blue;

The one zone weekly Metro Season Ticket is up from £11.80 to £12.20; a two zone weekly is up from £17.60 to £18; an all zone weekly is up from £24 to £24.40;

The one zone four-week Metro Season Ticket is up from £41.90 to £46.50; the two zone from £61.50 to £68.20; an all zone four weekly is up from £81.30 to £90.20.

The price of the one zone annual Metro Season Ticket is up from £462.50 to £513.30; the two-zone annual is up from £646.00 to £717.00; the all zone annual is up from £715.00 to £793.60.

The Metro Gold Card, which gives pensioners and people with disabilities unlimited off-peak Metro travel, will remain frozen in price at £12 – or £24 for those not resident in Tyne and Wear. 

A single ticket on the Shields Ferry is going up from £2.10 to £2.30; a Ferry day ticket is going up from £3.40 to £3.70; a child ferry single is up from 80p to 90p. 

Pop Pay As You Go fares for the ferry will be frozen at current prices. 

A one-week ticket for the Shields Ferry will go up from £11 to £11.30; a four-week ferry ticket is up from £38.20 to £42.40.