Passenger alert as Metro has a revamp
WEEKEND OF DISRUPTION AS £12M SCHEME GETS UNDER WAY
METRO passengers are being warned they could face major disruption to their journeys this weekend.
A £12m upgrade of the control room will take place across Saturday and Sunday, resulting in some services not running across the network.
On Saturday, there will be no trains between Benton and St James from around 7.30pm.
There will be a replacement bus service operating between Four Lane Ends and Monument, via Whitley Bay that will start between 7.15pm and 8.40pm depending on the location of the station.
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, says there will also be no trains running across the network from around 10.30pm.
No replacement bus services will be provided on Saturday night as Nexus say “it is not possible to source sufficient buses and drivers at this time of night to provide a viable replacement service across the network”.
On Sunday, there will be no trains operating until after 11am, with a replacement bus service operating across the system all morning, starting between 5.22am and 8.07am depending on the location and should run every 30 minutes.
The new computerised signalling control system that’s being installed in the South Gosforth control room in Newcastle will be the biggest upgrade in its 38 year history.
As part of the works, there will also be changes to station facilities and information display screens at all 60 Metro stations will be affected by the work.
During the installation of the new system and for the five days after, the electronic train arrival screens and automated arrival announcements may not be in service.
The upgrade is part of a £350m modernisation programme, which is a Government-funded scheme.
It bids to modernise the Metro with new-look stations, refurbished trains and a new infrastructure including tracks, signals and overhead lines.
The programme began in 2010 and since then more than £200m have been invested in the Metro’s infrastructure.
For more information and updates about Metro travel this weekend go to @My-Metro on Twitter or call Nexus on 0191 20 20 747.