Metro: Pelaw to South Hylton line disrupted after strike pulled

Services between South Hylton and Pelaw are affected because the line is operated by Network Rail

Metro passengers have been warned services between Pelaw and South Hylton will not run on Saturday, despite strike action being called off.

Walkouts by the RMT union over pay and conditions on 5, 7 and 9 November were pulled on Friday.

The system has mostly been unaffected by the strikes, however the Sunderland line is operated by Network Rail, which employs striking signalling workers.

Operator Nexus said due to the "late notice" services cannot be restored.

It added that passengers would be kept informed about journeys on Monday and Wednesday.

"The line is owned and managed by Network Rail, and while their staff are no longer going on strike, the very late notice of their industrial action being withdrawn means that services cannot be reinstated as usual tomorrow," a representative of Nexus said.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience this causes to our customers."

Metro services between Pelaw and South Shields remain suspended due to track improvement works.

Passengers using that line are continuing to use replacement bus services until Sunday 4 December.

Network Rail has warned that the late notice meant rail services on Saturday would remain "extremely limited", and trains on Monday are also likely to be affected.

Northern's chief operating officer, Tricia Williams, confirmed a "much reduced service" will still run on Saturday and Monday and advised customers not travel.

She said the reintroduction of a timetable was "complex" and can take several days to implement.

"We are working up a plan to run a fuller service on Wednesday," she added.

The RMT, which represents rail workers, said it would now enter "a period of intensive negotiations" with Network Rail and train operating companies.