From 1 April 2010 Deutsche Bahn will operate the Tyne and Wear Metro in Newcastle, Sunderland and the suburbs in England. The British transport company Nexus and DB subsidiary DB Regio UK signed the contract on 4 February.

According to the contract, DB Regio UK will operate the Tyne and Wear Metro for seven years and will be responsible for the maintenance and refurbishment of the 90 Metrocars as part of the Nexus-funded modernisation programme. It will be possible to extend the contract for a further two years (source: DB).