A lack of working trains is the true reason behind cuts to Tyne and Wear Metro services, a leaked email has revealed.
It was confirmed last week that extra trains that run at peak commuter times were being scrapped from the Metro timetable. Operator Nexus claimed on Friday that the move was “a response to the traditional rush hours not being as busy as they were prior to the Covid-19 pandemic”.
However, it has now emerged that an increasing number of train failures from the Metro’s ageing fleet is the cause of the change. In an email to Nexus stakeholders on Monday night, which has been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, managing director Martin Kearney admits that Metro bosses have been "unable to provide a reliable service for some time” and have been forced to slash the timetable as a direct result.
