A new timetable is to be introduced on the Tyne and Wear Metro from Sunday 13th October with additional peak time trains to run as a result of passenger feedback. The new timetable will see a reduction in gaps between early morning services from South Shields and afternoon services through North Tyneside.
Whilst the majority of passengers will see no change to their regular train times there will be some improvements where market research and analysis of passenger loadings suggest it is most needed. There will be additional peak services – both morning and evening – between Monkseaton and Pelaw which will include the extension of an evening Monkseaton to Longbenton service.
There will be an increase in services leaving St James in the evening peak by two with six services leaving between 1600 and 1700 (up from five) and five from 1700 to 1800 (increased from four).
It isn’t just weekdays which will see an improved service either as an early morning train which currently starts from South Gosforth will instead commence at Benton (providing an earlier start from Benton than currently) whilst there will be an extra service between Longbenton and St James as the service ramps up from a 15 minute to 12 minute frequency.
Other changes will also see a 12 minute frequency from all termini from the first train Mondays to Fridays. It has also been confirmed that in order to facilitate these better services in areas which need them most that the least used peak services between Regent Centre and Pelaw will no longer run.
Chris Carson, Metro Services Director, said: “We are responding to customer demands and making changes to the Metro timetable so that we can deliver more trains when people need them. This will improve the frequency of Metro services at the busiest times of the day. It reduces the gaps between train services in the mornings and in the evenings, meaning more capacity, and less waiting time for our customers.”
The all new timetable can be viewed online.