Fresh pledge to improve Metro mobile signal

Metro bosses said they were "fully committed" to delivering better connectivity despite the lack of progress

A pledge has been renewed to provide better phone signal along a rail line, despite a lack of progress in recent years.

Tyne and Wear Metro bosses said they were "fully committed" to delivering 4G and 5G connectivity across the system.

Nexus, which operates the line, had dropped plans to install wi-fi on the Metro's new fleet of trains in 2023, but said it wanted to fix connectivity blackspots in areas such as Pelaw and Fellgate, as well as the underground section in central Newcastle and Gateshead.

Head of ICT Steve Duchar said improving connectivity was a "time consuming and costly" operation.

He said the company is engaging with "major network providers" to deliver improvements.

Mobile network EE has provided 4G connectivity through the tunnels since 2019, but other providers like O2, Vodafone and Three have not followed suit in subsequent years.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said it understood no work had been carried out since the February 2023 pledge to install new infrastructure.

In London, uninterrupted 4G and 5G mobile coverage is being rolled out to all underground station ticket halls, platforms and tunnels on the Tube.