Gateshead College and One North East announced (March 2011) the creation of a unique new open-access test track facility – the only one of its kind in Europe. On January the 17th 2012 Transport Minister Norman Baker MP officially opened the Zero Carbon Futures Performance Track and Low Emission Vehicle Development Centre in Washington, Tyne & Wear. The Centre is designed to facilitate the development of the transport of the future providing the ideal location for anyone – academics, automotive manufacturers and system developers - to test and trial new transport technologies.