The High Court has cleared the way for a new free newspaper to begin publication as early as next week.
The new Metro freesheet has been granted an injunction which prevents Independent Newspapers from using the title Metro in a new rival freesheet edition of the Evening Herald.
The new proposed Metro freesheet is owned by Metro International, Tidnings AB Metro and Fortunegreen Ltd. They had claimed that Metro was a trademark registered to them for 57 papers in 81 cities across 18 countries.
The High Court has allowed Independent Newspapers to return to court on 36 hours notice to seek to have today's order varied. Mr Justice Frank Clarke suggested it might be possible to devise a masthead with the word 'metro' which would not infringe the order.
Meanwhile, Independent News & Media has announced that the Independent on Sunday will be published in compact form from Sunday October 16, Britain's first broadsheet Sunday newspaper to make the move.
