BILLION pound plans to radically overhaul public transport in the North-East over the next 20 years were approved by politicians yesterday.

Members of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority debated Project Orpheus.

The scheme, by Nexus, aims to make major improvements to key traffic corridors and offer a realistic alternative to the car.

Danny Marshall, PTA chairman, said: "It is our ambition to put half of Tyne and Wear residents within a few hundred metres of a viable public transport link to the Metro.

"Project Orpheus is a key part of the vision. It will provide new links to the quality of the current Metro system."

Orpheus identifies 29 key traffic corridors, some of which will see the re-introduction of trams in the region for the first time in 50 years.

Others will become designated Superoutes or guided bus routes. Extra cash will also go on upgrading the existing Metro system.

The PTA gave Nexus the go-ahead to produce detailed business cases for each corridor. It also agreed to establish a cross-party committee to oversee development.

It is expected that firm proposals will be submitted to the Government next year.

Mike Parker, director general of Nexus, said: "Critically, Orpheus will address our pressing need to get people out of their cars and on to public transport.

"Levels of congestion are rising year on year and unless we take radical action we could see traffic hit unmanageable levels within a very short period of time."