Metro chiefs vow no repeat of Great North Run flood chaos

South Shields Interchange was closed for about 90 minutes on Sunday while water was cleared

Transport bosses have vowed to take action to avoid a repeat of heavy flooding which caused chaos on the day of the Great North Run.

Thousands of runners and spectators trying to get home from South Shields after the race on Sunday were affected.

The town's interchange had to be closed after a month's rain fell in less than an hour and got into the station.

Metro services were suspended for about 90 minutes, with many people forced to walk home.

Water also had to be pumped off the railway tracks near Tyne Dock station.

Huw Lewis, customer services director at Metro operator Nexus, said the company had been "surprised at how suddenly the interchange flooded" even allowing for the level of rainfall.

Queues in South Shields were reportedly more than one-mile (1.6km) long as people waited for Metro trains

Interim managing director Cathy Massarella told a North East Joint Transport Committee meeting passengers had been "extremely understanding and patient" during an "incredibly difficult experience".

She added: "One of the biggest interventions is, clearly, that the Tyne Dock area has been subject to flooding before and so we will be working with South Tyneside Council to progress discussions with Northumbrian Water to look at more long-term infrastructure in that area."

Although interchange services are operating as normal, floodwater caused damage to an entrance on Fowler Street and repairs will be needed.

The 13.1-mile (21km) Great North Run saw the Metro record its busiest day with 100,000 people using the network, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

There was also a record-setting day for the Shields Ferry, which runs between North and South Shields, as it carried about 12,000 passengers.