Free newspaper Metro is set to expand into five new cities in a move that will push its circulation above the 1m mark.

The paper is already given away to commuters in eight major cities in the UK, and is set to start distribution in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Bristol and Bath.

The additional copies will boost the success story already enjoyed in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The publisher, Associated Newspapers, will work with Northcliffe Newspapers and its local centres for the expansion – which could see the new editions published by early summer.

Northcliffe managing director Kevin Beatty said: “We’ve been talking to our colleagues at Metro for some time about the potential for putting it into the market in the East Midlands and Bristol and we are now pushing ahead with that.

“All of our newspapers in those areas are afternoon papers and get to a particular demographic.

“This is a morning newspaper with a particular type of reader – typically a male in full-time employment using public transport.”

Metro managing director Steve Auckland said the paper proved popular because it was apolitical, gave the news in sound bites and was a 20 minute read for busy commuters.

He said he was looking forward to working with Northcliffe, and was enjoying the relationship that had developed during the project.

He said: “Metro is geared towards that young market, where the average age of readers is 32.

“From a consumer point of view it comes straight at the audience – we’ll soon see people walking about with the paper.”

Metro was launched in March 1999 as a free, colour newspaper for morning commuters.

It was originally only available in London, but has spread into seven further major cities with combined distribution of 826,921 copies every weekday morning.

The editorial emphasis is on concise, informing stories presented in an easy to read format, designed specifically for the morning commuter.

It provides a mix of national and international news set alongside local information such as listings and travel.

Associated’s homework shows Metro readers are “time-starved individuals” who are increasingly difficult to reach using traditional media.

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