Metro passengers are being warned of a major line closure affecting trains heading to the airport later this month while essential maintenance work takes place.
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, has announced that trains will not be operating between South Gosforth and Newcastle Airport for five days from Monday, March 20 to Friday, March 24.
Replacement bus, the 900, will be in place for customers during the closure which will call at or near all Metro stations on the affected route. The line will reopen as usual on Saturday, March 25.
The closure is to enable new overhead lines to be put in place along a 3km section, forming part of a £36.4m wire renewal programme that started in 2011 and is expected to run through to 2025. It will see a total of 106 kilometres of wire being replaced, which is one of the biggest maintenance projects ever undertaken on Metro.
Metro Infrastructure Director, Stuart Clarke, said: “This is vital investment in new Metro infrastructure ahead of welcoming our new trains. The work to replace such a long stretch of overhead line can only be carried out safely during a major line closure.
"This will be in place for five full days from March 20 to March 24. Customers travelling through the affected area are advised to plan journeys in advance and allow time to make their journeys.
“I understand this causes some disruption, and we always try to make closures as short as possible and to provide a good replacement bus service when there are lines affected, but it is necessary to make sure that the Metro system is fit for the future.”
Overhead lines are used to conduct electricity to enable the trains to operate. The current power lines have been there since the Tyne and Wear Metro was built.
Mr Clarke added: “This is the same wire that was installed 40 years ago when Metro was first opened so it has become worn and more prone to failure. If it fails then that becomes disruptive to the services that we provide, so by renewing the wire this is an investment in helping to ensure that the Metro stays as reliable as possible for years to come."
During the major line closure, the Fawdon level crossing will be closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic and diversionary routes will be in place. A shuttle taxi service will be in service for pedestrians on each day of the closure to transfer customers to each side of the crossing if they need transport.
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