New Tyne and Wear Metro trains still not cleared to run full line - when they will finally go to Sunderland

The first of the Metro’s long-awaited new fleet entered service in December, after suffering multiple delays.

But seven weeks later, the Stadler-built carriage is yet to make a journey to Wearside and has instead been confined to the Metro’s yellow line running between St James and South Shields.

That is because the new trains do not yet have permission to run on tracks owned by Network Rail, which manages the line from Pelaw to South Hylton rather than Metro operator Nexus.

A passenger group has branded it “incredulous” that the new fleet, which was originally meant to start being rolled out in summer 2023, is still not allowed to run to Sunderland after so many years of planning.

Nexus told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that a second new Metro train is due in service and will be put on the Sunderland line by the end of March, though it is hoped that will happen sooner rather than later, once it has completed “all of the necessary compatibility checks” with Network Rail’s system.

Half of the 46 new trains on order from the Swiss manufacturing giant are scheduled to be running by the end of 2025, as the full £362 million fleet is gradually rolled out over the next two years to replace the struggling trains which have served the Metro network since it opened in 1980.

Paul Welford, major projects director at Nexus, said a “vast amount of work is taking place to safely get these new trains into service for our customers as soon as possible”.

He added: “We’re looking forward to putting the new Metro trains into customer service to Sunderland and other stations to the South of the Metro System. This is planned to happen before the end of March, transforming comfort, quality and reliability for more of our customers.

“This will be the second new Metro train to enter into full customer service, following on from the first one making its debut on 18 December last year.

“The Sunderland line is owned and managed by Network Rail and we have been working closely with them for many months to ensure all of the necessary compatibility checks are in place. We’re in the final stages of that process now.

“Once that is completed it will allow us to introduce the new Stadler Metro onto their infrastructure in customer service.”

Kevin Dickinson, of the Sort Out the Metro campaign, called for Nexus to publish a detailed timetable for the rollout of the new fleet and “be open and honest about any issues”.

Passengers have been told to expect one or two new trains per month to hit the tracks, but Nexus has warned that the rollout will not be uniform.

Mr Dickinson, whose group marked 10 years since its inception on Thursday, told the LDRS: “We keep hearing about how big and complex Metro projects are. The reality is that most have been delivered behind schedule and without the promised benefits.

“It’s incredulous that after all the planning and delays Nexus still don’t have approval for the new trains to run to Sunderland.

“It’s disappointing to hear that the plan is now to have the second train in service by March, only last week we were promised an average of two a month entering service.

“There have been repeated delays and promises made about the new trains, all passengers want to see is delivery.

“Our group is 10 years old today, 10 years of struggling to get to work, a hospital appointment or even just a social engagement. The people of the North East deserve better and have been promised better. The mayor, councillors and Nexus have to ensure they deliver it this time.”

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to update that the necessary compatibility checks to allow the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains onto the Sunderland section are very close to completion.

“The plan has always been for the new trains to be phased into use, with Nexus starting on their own network before rolling out to the Sunderland route.

“We’re grateful to passengers for their patience during this time and look forward to welcoming them on board the new trains across the whole service very soon.”