A MAYORAL candidate has pledged to become a “rail watchdog” for the Tees Valley.

Sue Jeffrey said she will fight for rail electrification and a firm deadline on replacing unloved pacer trains if she is elected as the Tees Valley’s Metro Mayor.

The leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, who is Labour’s candidate in the upcoming elections, aims to hold the government to account on plans to improve railway services across the area.

A devolution deal secured by the Tees Valley Combined Authority in 2015 commits the government to working towards the electrification of the railway between Northallerton and Teesport to improve journey times and reliability.

The scrapping of the Pacer trains operating around the area is scheduled for 2019 but detailed plans for their phasing out have not been announced.

If elected, Cllr Jeffrey will call for “assurances on when old and worn out Pacer trains will be scrapped and what they will be replaced with.”

She said: “If London was still dependent upon Pacer trains for day to day journeys there would be national outrage at the time it has taken to phase them out and we’d have cast iron guarantees over the rail infrastructure improvements needed.

“I want the mayor's office to be a strong voice for the Tees Valley, ensuring our rail service is as good as any other part of the UK.

"Passengers are riding trains which in some cases are in use two decades after the carriages should have been retired.

“They deserve a firm plan for improvements, and I will be fighting for that."

The Metro Mayor elections, taking place in May this year, will see a mayor appointed to represent the Tees Valley, made up of Redcar and Cleveland, Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton and Middlesbrough.

The mayor will have power over job creation, investment, transport, housing and skills.

Those who have also announced their intention to stand for election so far are Ben Houchen, leader of Stockton Borough Council’s Conservative group and John Tait, chairman of the North East Party.