Runners taking part in this year's Great North Run are being urged to leave extra time for their journey as operator Nexus gets ready for its busiest day of the year.
Around 90,000 people are expected to travel on the Metro on Sunday, September 11 when the Great North Run returns to its original route, starting in Newcastle and finishing on South Shields seafront. Last year, when the run started and ended in Newcastle city centre, Nexus said it carried 63,000 customers on the day, reflecting the number of people who ran.
But with thousands more runners and spectators set to travel this year, Metro bosses have promised there will be more trains to help runners get to the start line and to get home afterwards. Extra staff will also be on hand to help passengers and manage queues in South Shields.
READ MORE: Great North Run 2022 route, where the half marathon starts, finishes and goes
Passengers are also being warned that some Metro stations in Newcastle and South Shields will be temporarily closed to help with crowd control. But even with the extra trains, Metro bosses have said that trains will still be extremely busy so runners will need to leave extra travelling time and be prepared to wait in long queues.
Customer services director at Nexus, Huw Lewis, said: “We are really looking forward to welcoming many thousands of runners and spectators on Metro for this year’s Great North Run, which returns to its traditional finish in South Shields. We will have extra trains running all day to help people get to the start and then get home afterwards.
“Customers are advised to allow plenty of time to travel and expect queues at stations. There will be queue management in place at South Shields after the race as we look to get everyone home as quickly as we can.
“The Great North Run is our busiest Sunday of the year. We will carry in the region 90,000 customers across the day. Extra trains and extra staff are all deployed to ensure everything runs smoothly.”
“It’s a fantastic day for North East England, getting global attention and raising millions of pounds for charity. We are proud that Metro and the Shields Ferry have such an important role to play.”
How to buy a ticket in advance
Metro is encouraging customers to avoid queuing at the ticket machines on the day by buying a Metro ticket in advance. Day Saver tickets can be bought in advance from the machines at Metro stations, however, Great North Run wristbands have now sold out online, Nexus has confirmed. POP travel cards will also be accepted on the day.
Metro station closures
Nexus will be temporarily closing the following stations to help with crowd control:
· Haymarket - No entry into the station (exit only) from 8am until 10.40am. Please use Jesmond.
· Jesmond - Closed from 10.40am until early afternoon. Please use Haymarket.
· Manors - Closed from 10.40am until early afternoon. Please use Haymarket.
· Chichester - Closed from about 1pm until early evening. Please use South Shields.
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