The Metro will be fully operational again by 11 April, the day before non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure facilities are due to reopen.
The network, which has needed more than £40m of government funding to keep it going during the pandemic, has been running a reduced timetable since late November due to a shortage of drivers.
Thirty new recruits were taken on last September, but with delays to training because of lockdown, 20% of train services had to be cut from the timetable.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Nexus chief operating officer Martin Kearney said: “We are now nearing a full complement of driver resource and we are performing very well at the moment."
Two household recycling centres in Gateshead are staying open for longer to try and cut mammoth three-hour queues experienced by residents getting rid of their rubbish.
Gateshead Council’s two tips at Campground in Wrekenton and Cowen Road in Blaydon reopened in May last year after the first lockdown, with an alternate number plate system for when people can go.
But recent “unprecedented public demand” has seen drivers waiting as long as three hours to access the sites, causing problems on nearby roads.
From today the opening hours of both sites will be extended by three hours, closing at 20:00.
The alternating odd and even number plate system will stay in place.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Bee survey needs volunteers
A project to help monitor and protect the region's bees has begun.
There are a hundred different species of bee in the North East, and conservationists are asking members of the public to join in with the effort to track them.
It's the second year the North East Bee Hunt has been held, as numbers of the insects are declining around the country.
Last year a number of rare bees were discovered in the region, including the hairy-footed flower bee and the bilberry bumblebee.
Live Reporting
All times stated are UK
BBCCopyright: BBC 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
Christopher WrenCopyright: Christopher Wren 
Video caption: Covid-19: 'Lockdown job loss led me to welding career'Covid-19: 'Lockdown job loss led me to welding career' Video caption: Why cutting down trees can be good for the climateWhy cutting down trees can be good for the climate 
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Daniel Holland
Local Democracy Reporter
The Metro will be fully operational again by 11 April, the day before non-essential shops, hairdressers and leisure facilities are due to reopen.
The network, which has needed more than £40m of government funding to keep it going during the pandemic, has been running a reduced timetable since late November due to a shortage of drivers.
Thirty new recruits were taken on last September, but with delays to training because of lockdown, 20% of train services had to be cut from the timetable.
Nexus chief operating officer Martin Kearney said: “We are now nearing a full complement of driver resource and we are performing very well at the moment."
Last week, it was confirmed that the Metro has secured an additional £8m government grant that will allow it to keep trains running at reduced passenger levels until 21 June.
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Two household recycling centres in Gateshead are staying open for longer to try and cut mammoth three-hour queues experienced by residents getting rid of their rubbish.
Gateshead Council’s two tips at Campground in Wrekenton and Cowen Road in Blaydon reopened in May last year after the first lockdown, with an alternate number plate system for when people can go.
But recent “unprecedented public demand” has seen drivers waiting as long as three hours to access the sites, causing problems on nearby roads.
From today the opening hours of both sites will be extended by three hours, closing at 20:00.
The alternating odd and even number plate system will stay in place.
Bee survey needs volunteers
A project to help monitor and protect the region's bees has begun.
There are a hundred different species of bee in the North East, and conservationists are asking members of the public to join in with the effort to track them.
It's the second year the North East Bee Hunt has been held, as numbers of the insects are declining around the country.
Last year a number of rare bees were discovered in the region, including the hairy-footed flower bee and the bilberry bumblebee.
More details can be found here on the here.
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