New fleet of Metro trains will be better suited to hot weather

THE Tyne and Wear Metro will be far better able to cope with sizzling heatwaves once its new £362m fleet of trains arrives.

This week’s scorching weather has thrown public transport systems across the country into chaos.

Metro passengers were advised not to travel yesterday, while services had to be suspended on parts of the network since Monday due to overhead lines sagging in the heat.

But commuters who dreaded stepping foot on the Metro’s ageing carriages, which have been in service for more than 40 years, in the heatwave can look forward to more comfortable journeys soon.

A long-awaited new fleet of trains for the Metro is currently being built in Switzerland and the first of the new models will arrive in the North East later this year, before entering service in 2023.

Passengers will be relieved to know that the new fleet will, unlike the outdated current crop, boast an “advanced” air conditioning system to keep them cool when the hot weather arrives.

Another feature that could help the trains overcome the problems caused by extreme heat is an onboard battery that will allow them to keep moving even when overhead lines fail.

A Nexus spokesperson said: “The Stadler trains will have an advanced digital climate control system that will enable our train crews to manage the temperature inside the carriages at the touch of a button.

“The air conditioning will definitely keep our customers cooler in the summer heatwaves when they need to make a journey on Metro. We are really excited to see the first new train arrive at the end of this year and then enter service in 2023.

“The new trains also have battery technology that will allow us to run for longer when there are problems with the overhead wires. This allows us to overcome periods of disruption much more effectively.”