Metro services to remain disrupted south of the Tyne until next week

Nexus confirmed today that Metro services in Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland are to remain disrupted until early next week while emergency repairs are carried out on damaged power lines.

A total of 800 metres of overhead wire came down between Pelaw and Hebburn at around 6am on Thursday morning, 30 March.

The cause of the fault is being investigated and repairs are underway, Nexus said.

Metro services will remain suspended between Pelaw and South Shields and Pelaw and Brockley Whins until the overhead lines have been replaced by engineers.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said it was sorry for the disruption caused to customers, and that it was working as fast as possible to restore services in the affected areas.

Metro Infrastructure Director, Stuart Clarke, said:

“We’re sorry for the ongoing disruption to our customers.

“Our services through Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland are going to remain disrupted until early next week while we repair an 800-metre stretch of overhead line between Pelaw and Hebburn.

“The damage is extensive and is over a wide area. It will take us a few days to get this fixed. Our engineers are working flat out to get this problem rectified as quickly as they possibly can.

“The repair has been made particularly complicated by the fact that it is adjacent to the Network Rail overhead lines, and we need safety agreements in place on both sides in order to proceed.

“Customers who need to travel through the affected areas are advised to allow extra time to complete their journeys. Replacement buses are in operation when available to us, and we will have Metro ticket acceptance on local bus routes when needed.”

For the latest information customers are advised to go check www.nexus.org.uk and the Metro Twitter page, @My_Metro.

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