£3.2m boost for Metro parking
Contactless payment machines, new lighting and CCTV will be installed in Tyne and Wear Metro car parks under multi-million pound plans to make them safer and easier for passengers to use.
Council leaders signed off on a £3.2million investment package that will deliver improvements at six Metro park andridesites–BankFoot,Callerton, Regent Centre, Northumberland Park, Four Lane EndsandtheStadiumofLight.
The upgrades will see outdated coin-only ticket machines replaced by contactless payment, enhanced digital CCTV cameras and more efficient lighting installed, and real-time updates on car park occupancyprovidedonNexus’ website and app.
Bosses hope the changes willtemptmoretravellersback to public transport, especially at a time when fuel prices have skyrocketed.
Fundingfortheschemewas agreed by the North East Joint Transport Committee (JTC) and will be provided by the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme.
The North East was given a
£198million share of the TCF, a major chunk of which is paying for the Metro Flow project to dual railway tracks in South Tyneside and boost the network’s capacity by 24,000 people per day.
That massive project will require a 12-week shutdown of the Metro between Pelaw and South Shields between September and December.
Customer services director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “Park and ride sites on Metro are really important in helpingtocutcongestionandemissions on our region’s roads. That’s why Nexus wants to invest in better and simpler facilities for our customers.
“Our plans underline a commitmenttomakingMetro
parkandrideamoreattractive andcosteffectiveoptionasthe cost of using a car continues to keep going up."
Some 1,550 parking spaces across the six sites are due to benefit from the new funding.
Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon, who chairs the JTC, added: “This investment is a major upgrade to six park and ride sites making them easier to use and more attractiveoptionsforlocalpeople travelling for work, leisure or to reach education. We are committed to helping people make sustainable changes to their journey habits and using park and ride for part of your journey is a great way to cut downonmileage,carbonemissions and of course fuel costs.”