Station closure U-turn after transport bosses' fury

Transport North East and Metro operator Nexus had said the station's closure would affect city Christmas trade

Plans to shut a station on the run up to Christmas because of industrial action have been axed.

Operator Northern had announced that Sunderland Station would be closed every day except Tuesday.

It has now cancelled the move but warned station opening hours would be reduced and it would be shut on Christmas Eve.

Transport North East and Metro operator Nexus had said the station's closure would affect city Christmas trade.

Kerry Peters, regional director at Northern said: "Despite industrial action impacting staffing numbers, Sunderland station will remain open for a majority of the Christmas period and up to New Year's Eve."

He added that it would operate reduced hours on Tuesday and Wednesday and shut on Christmas Eve because of staff shortages and the network shutting down early ahead of engineering works and strikes.

"We're sorry for the disruption this will cause for some of our customers," he said.

"On the days of reduced hours or closure, passengers needing to travel to Sunderland from Newcastle should use the Tyne and Wear Metro and alight at St Peters or Park Lane."

Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council and a member of the North East Joint Transport Committee, had said that any closures and disruption to public transport would "cripple" the city's Christmas retail trade.