Metro closures to cause disruption until Easter

Various sections of the rail network will close over the coming months

Tyne and Wear Metro passengers have been warned to expect travel disruption during a series of line closures from now until Easter.

Metro operator Nexus is carrying out works in preparation for the introduction of its new fleet of trains.

It includes the closure of a busy central section of the network, between Heworth and South Gosforth, for four days over Easter weekend, coinciding with home matches for both Newcastle United and Sunderland.

Nexus has apologised for the inconvenience.

Fans travelling to the home fixture against Manchester City at St James’ Park on 13 January will be unable to take trains between South Gosforth and Haymarket, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

There will also be no Metro services running to Newcastle International Airport for nine days from 17 February to 25 February, with bus replacement services due to run from Regent Centre instead.

Nexus said the works were needed to safeguard the Metro’s long-term future

Metro infrastructure director Stuart Clarke said: “There is no good time to close a large section of the Metro system and I apologise in advance for the inconvenience this will cause customers."

The planned closures are as follows:

• 5-8 January: Completion of final tracks outside Gosforth Metro Depot. No line closures are planned but Nexus said there would be some impact on early and late services

• 13-14 January: Buses replace trains from South Gosforth to Haymarket for track renewal, lineside estate works and signalling work at the depot

• 20-21 January: Buses replace trains from Airport to South Gosforth for track renewal

• 27 January: Buses replace trains form Pelaw to South Shields for track renewal

• 10-11 February: Buses replace trains from South Gosforth to Wallsend for lineside estate and signalling maintenance works

• 17-25 February: Buses replace trains from Airport to Regent Centre for overhead line and track renewal and lineside estate works

• 16-17 March: Buses replace trains from Heworth to South Gosforth for track junction renewal in the Metro tunnels under Newcastle city centre

• 29 March-1 April (Easter weekend): Buses replace trains from Heworth to South Gosforth to complete track junction renewal in the Metro tunnels under Newcastle city centre