Metro airport route to shut for five days

A replacement bus service will operate during the five-day Metro line closure between Regent Centre and Newcastle Airport

A busy section of the Tyne and Wear Metro line to and from Newcastle Airport will shut for five days to allow for renewed track works.

The closure will begin on Wednesday 26 November, with a reopening planned for Monday 1 December.

Works include the renewal of track materials at the Ponteland Road Metro bridge at Bank Foot.

Operator Nexus said replacement buses, a 901 service, would be provided between Regent Centre and Airport during the closure and it has urged passengers to plan their journeys ahead.

Nexus said the work formed part of its wider asset renewal programme, which involves the modernisation of tracks and overhead lines.

Buses will operate between Regent Centre Interchange and Newcastle International Airport, calling at or near all stations on the route.

The route affected, on the green line, usually runs between the airport and South Hylton in Sunderland.

Paul Welford, major projects director at Nexus, said the works could only be carried out safely during a five-day closure.

"The track at Ponteland Road bridge carries hundreds of Metro services every day," he said.

"There is no good time to close a section of line, but we need to carry out this project to ensure that this vital section of the Metro system is future-proofed and reliable for the long term and therefore minimise disruption to customers."

The car park at Bank Foot station will also be closed during the works as well as the level crossing.