Metro line to close for repairs
METRO passengers have been warned that a busy area of the line in North Tyneside will be closed for seven days next week to allow for major repair work.
No trains will run between Benton and North Shields from Monday, April 8 through to Sunday, April 14, as Nexus replaces power lines along a 5.6km stretch of the network alongside a range of other lineside estate works. The replacement bus service number 900 will instead run between Four Lane Ends and North Shields in both directions, with customers advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.
It follows a four-day line closure over the Easter bank holiday weekend, with no trains running between Heworth and South Gosforth from Good Friday to Easter Monday. Ahead of the seven-day closure affecting North Tyneside, Metros will also be off between Pelaw and South Shields all day on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, to allow for further repairs work.
The upcoming seven-day closure will also allow for important works to take place as part of the ongoing refurbishment schemes at Whitley Bay and Monkseaton Metro stations.
The work means that no trains will run to or from the following stations from Monday until Sunday next week: Benton; Palmersville; Northumberland Park; Shiremoor; West Monkseaton; Monkseaton; Whitley Bay; Cullercoats; Tynemouth; North Shields.
Trains will still be running in both directions between the Airport and South Hylton, South Shields and Benton and North Shields to St James. However, Nexus has cautioned that train times may be different from the usual timetable, with passengers advised to check times on the Pop App before travelling.
Passengers planning to catch the number 900 replacement bus have also been advised that while the service will stop at or close to the affected stations, some of the buses may begin or end their service outside of these areas – you can check timetables on the Metro website before you travel. Metro tickets and passes will be valid on the replacement bus, or you can buy your ticket from the bus driver.
Stuart Clarke, Metro infrastructure director, said: “This seven-day major line closure is to allow for our ongoing multi-million pound investment in Metro modernisation to ensure that the network is here for many decades to come.
“These works will involve the renewal of vital overhead lines along a 5.6 kilometre section of our network. We are also carrying out a range of other secondary works which includes lineside estate management and station refurbishment works at Whitley Bay and Cullercoats.
“While there is no good time to close a large section of the Metro system, the works will improve Metro’s resilience in the future. We will do all we can to keep any disturbance to an absolute minimum, and I apologise in advance for the inconvenience this will cause.
“Customers will be provided with frequent replacement bus services throughout this work and need to allow a bit of extra time to make their journey in the area where the line is closed. If you’re heading into Newcastle, where possible get the Metro from North Shields and head into town via Wallsend.”
Investment in new Metro infrastructure, funded by the Government, will reach £38m in the current year to the end of March 2024. A total of £446m will have been invested in Metro infrastructure since 2010.