Major Metro disruption: 13 key stations to be without services for five days in February

No Metro services will run between St James and Tynemouth for five days in February as Nexus undertakes major line work.

From Monday, February 21 to Friday, February 25 no services will run on the line with replacement buses carrying passengers instead.

Nexus, the public body that owns and manages Metro, are using the time to replace overhead power lines as part of a £30 million improvement plan.

The works are necessary in order to allow the introduction of a new train fleet into the region.

A total of 16,000 metres of contact and catenary wire will be replaced over a 5.5km section of line.

Major Projects Director at Nexus, Cathy Massarella, said: “We are investing £30m in Metro’s overhead lines.

"This is a once in a generation piece of modernisation work.

"It will mean we can deliver a high-quality Metro service for many years to come and it gets our network ready for the introduction of the new trains.

“As part of this renewal programme we have to carry out a two-week major line closure on the busiest lines that run through the heart of Newcastle and Gateshead.

“There is no good time to shut such a big chunk of the network, and this modernisation work can only be undertaken effectively during an extended closure period.

"I apologise to our customers in advance for the inconvenience this will cause.

“Overhead wires are critical for the Metro system to operate. They are where the trains draw their high voltage power from.

“The power lines in our central area are ageing. They face the most wear and tear on a daily basis and they need to be replaced as soon as practically possible, which is why this work is booked in for February.

“We will ensure there is a fast and reliable replacement bus service running when the Metro line is shut. We advise passengers to plan their journeys in advance before travelling.”

Nexus has already published the timetable for replacement buses, which you can find here.

For the most part, buses will run every 12 minutes throughout the day - those travelling should consult the timetable to plan a journey.