Whitley Bay Metro station is expected to stay shut until the end of March after its roof suffered serious storm damage.
The Grade II listed station has been closed since dramatic scenes last month when a glass panel came crashing down from its canopy during high winds in Storm Otto on February 17. While trains are now running through the area again, having previously been suspended, Metro bosses have confirmed that the historic station itself will remain off limits for passengers for weeks to come.
Rail operator Nexus said that it was “in the interests of customer safety” to keep Whitley Bay closed until late March, while engineers fit new netting beneath the canopy that is designed to catch any falling glass if there is a repeat incident in the future. The “extensive” repairs mean that commuters will have to keep using either Monkseaton or Cullercoats stations instead, while the works will also require a line closure between North Shields and Monkseaton on the weekend of March 25-26.
