North Tyneside Metro services set to remain suspended until at least end of week

Tyne and Wear Metro services will remain suspended across part of the North Tyneside coast line until at least the end of this week following station damage.

Whitley Bay station was closed over the weekend after Storm Otto damaged the roof of the station and caused glass to fall from the top of the structure.

Metro services will be suspended between Monkseaton and North Shields with Metro operators offering a replacement bus service numbered 900. Metro ticket acceptance is also in place on local bus routes 51, 53, 54, 57, 306 and 308.

Nexus, Metro’s operator, said that the closures are in the interests of customer safety after two panes of glass fell from the station’s Grade II Listed canopy during Friday’s storm.

The closure will be in place until Nexus has conducted all of its safety checks and has made the canopy secure.

Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “Our engineers are working hard to get the Metro line and the station reopened.

“Storm Otto has damaged the canopy at Whitley Bay Metro station, which means the station has had to be shut, and the Metro service suspended from North Shields to Monkseaton.

“These closures are in the interests of public safety, which is our top priority. Our thanks go to customers for their patience during this period of disruption. We don’t want to keep a major gateway into Whitley Bay closed for any longer than it has to.”