App shows passengers how busy Metro trains are
Metro passengers can now rate how crowded their trains are, in a bid to keep services covid-safe during the pandemic.
The Tyne and Wear rail network has added a new feature to its smartphone app, designed to help people choose quieter times to travel when social distancing is easier – and identify problem hotspots when trains are busy. The app now allows people to rate how crowded their journey was on a scale of one to 10, then uses the data to generate an overall rating for each station at different times of the day.
Metro operator Nexus said the new system was about “easing some of the stress around maintaining social distancing on trains” and would allow people to make “informed decisions” about when to travel.
Under new COVID-19 restrictions announced for the North East last week, current advice is to only use public transport in the region for essential journeys – such as going to work or school.
Metro’s timetable is also expected to be reduced this winter due to a shortage of drivers, after a training school had to be cancelled earlier this year due to coronavirus.
Driver numbers are expected to be up to 13% below the levels needed to run a full timetable this winter, even before factoring in staff sickness.
Head of corporate planning at Nexus, Helen Mathews, said: “This new technology will really help our customers to maintain social distancing by showing them how busy the trains are.
“It’s a vital tool to keep people safe and to ensure that the Metro system is covid-secure.
“People can view the information they need at the touch of a button, allowing them to makeaninformedchoiceabout when they want to travel.”