Metro’s letting down its winter travellers

METRO’S 40th birthday year should have been a celebration of everything the system has brought to our region – but the start of a ‘Winter Timetable’ last weekend represents an all-time low for customers.

In a jaw-dropping move, services have been drastically cut with early mornings, evenings and Sundays bearing the brunt. By my calculations, there are only ELEVEN trains on the entire system running on Sundays and evenings – by far the lowest in Metro’s 40-year history.

The cuts disproportionately affect key workers travelling at unsociable hours.

More worryingly, the frenzy of Christmas shopping likely after lockdown will surely present major social-distancing issues.

It was fitting that Metro’s operations director appeared on social media to explain the changes sitting in a warm and comfortable office, while customers who pay his wages stand waiting on freezing cold platforms.

Metro bosses claim the service cuts are due to train crew availability, with numbers forecast to be 13% below establishment in January.

How that justifies a 50% reduction in services is as mysterious as it is ridiculous, especially at a time when the taxpayer is bailing out the system to the tune of £500k per week.

These are highly difficult times for public transport operators. Metro looks ill-equipped to emerge from the crisis. Meanwhile local bus operators, facing even greater challenges, press ahead with new vehicles and fares initiatives and look better positioned to attract customers when confidence returns.

Chris Dickson, Gosforth