Metro plans to keep passengers moving during closure.

Tyne and Wear Metro release details of the frequent, high quality bus service and special trains it will provide during a Major Line Closure next month.

Metro is undergoing extensive modernisation work which will see services between Byker and Tynemouth stations suspended between Saturday 12th March and Sunday 3rd April.

Metro is publicising plans for replacement buses during this time, to reassure passengers that disruption will be as minimal as possible.
 
A frequent, high quality bus replacement service numbered 900 has been arranged for our passengers. These double-decker buses will operate every 12 minutes between Byker and Tynemouth, calling at or near to all Metro stations on the closed section of line from the normal first to last train times. The replacement buses will include low level access and be of a high standard – modern, clean and spacious, powered by a euro III emission standard (as a minimum) engines.

There will be extra buses running between North Shields and Tynemouth, from 7am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday, and between Wallsend and Byker, at peak times Monday to Friday. In addition to this extra trains will be running from Tynemouth towards Newcastle city centre via Four Lane Ends. The shortest journey into Newcastle city centre from North Shields and Tynemouth during the major line closure will be by Metro from Tynemouth via Four Lane Ends.  The bus services have been designed so that the highest demand areas such as Wallsend and Byker have additional services when they need them most.

Metro stations between and including Chillingham Road and North Shields will be closed during the refurbishment. Passengers who usually purchase their tickets at these stations can buy them on board the bus replacement service. Metro season tickets will also be valid.

This vital modernisation project is part of the £385m Metro: all change programme which will see Nexus, which owns and manages Metro, modernise stations, trains and infrastructure over the next 11 years.  Metro has carefully planned a comprehensive bus replacement service that will operate as close as possible to normal Metro timetables to ensure disruption to passenger travel is kept to a minimum.

Bernard Garner, Director General of Nexus, which own and manages Metro, said: “The modernisation of the line between Byker and Tynemouth is vital to secure Metro’s future, and the least disruptive way to do the work is to close it for a concentrated period. We want to make sure the bus service is as good as it can be and reflects the journeys passengers need to make.

Managing Director of Metro operator DB Regio Tyne and Wear, Richard McClean, said: “We are aware that this is a prolonged closure and want to assure passengers we are doing everything we possibly can to ensure they will get to their destination as they would normally. We have been planning alternative methods of transportation during the period of closure for some time now – passenger needs are paramount and we will be doing everything we can to assist public travel during this period.”

Visit www.nexus.org.uk/metro for further details and follow @My_Metro on Twitter for regular service updates throughout this period and beyond.

Passengers can also contact the North East Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 for advice on best way to travel and how to plan their journey on the metro and other forms of transport.

Passengers can also contact Metro’s local call centre number on 0191 202 0747