Newly-unveiled trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro have been labelled the “best you would see anywhere in the world”.
North East leaders, local businesses and some future passengers were given an exciting glimpse of a brighter future for the Metro on Friday, with a first tours of one of the trains that they hope will radically improve service and put an end to travel misery. The gleaming carriage on show at the Metro’s Gosforth depot showcased a vast array of upgrades compared to the struggling 43-year-old fleet that has carried commuters around the region for decades.
Air conditioning, USB charging ports and high-quality CCTV cameras are among the new features of the Swiss-built trains – which also appear far more spacious thanks to London Tube-style linear seating. Crucially, they should also be 15 times more reliable than the existing Metro stock, which has been a source of frustration for years and of some controversy in the past week.
