Evening services on the Shields Ferry are to be restored from next month.
The operators of the cross-Tyne service, Nexus said that they plan to restore a full timetable from Monday 7 March.
The evening services were previously withdrawn amid the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
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Customer Services Director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “I’m grateful to customers for bearing with us and I am pleased to say we are looking to get our full timetable back in operation from March 7.
“We withdrew these services initially to protect resources from the spread of the more contagious omicron variant of Covid-19.
“We then faced an issue of crew availability. It takes time train a new ferry driver as they must undertake a rigorous course in order to get the boat master licence."
Nexus have confirmed that new recruits are to undergo rigorous training and testing with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in order to get a licence to drive the ferry.
“We are well on the way to training our new recruits and this will allow us to have the full timetable back ahead of the busy spring and summer seasons.
“Reducing services was the last thing that we wanted to do but it has been necessary while we restore full crew availability and a full roster.”
For the time being, the Shields Ferry timetable will continue with the first crossing of the day will still be at 6.45am, Monday to Saturday. The last crossings will be at 5.45pm, from South Shields, and 6pm from North Shields.
The ferry timetable on Sundays is not changing and services will continue to end at 6pm.
Full information can be found at www.nexus.org.uk/ferry.
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