No trains will run on the Tyne and Wear Metro between Wallsend and St James for nine days in late August to allow for a £1.7 million programme of bridge and tunnel modernisation work. The line will be closed from Saturday 24th August until Sunday 1st September with a replacement bus service to run instead.
During the major closure Nexus will be completing works on four bridges (Stoddart Street and New Bridge Street bridges will see grit blasting, repainting, steel work repair, waterproofing and road resurfacing) as well as a section of tunnel in the Manors area.
Stuart Clarke, Metro Infrastructure Director, said: “This nine-day major closure forms part of our ongoing multi-million pound programme of investment in Metro modernisation work. The focus of this project is on three bridges which need to undergo vital structural repair works and waterproofing. We will also be working on the entrance of the Metro tunnel near Manors, carrying out structural works.
“While there is no good time to close a large section of the Metro system, the works will improve Metro’s resilience in the future. We will do all we can to keep any disturbance to an absolute minimum, and I apologise in advance for the inconvenience this will cause. Customers will be provided with frequent replacement bus services throughout this work and need to allow a bit of extra time to make their journey in the area where the line is closed.”
The work is part of £43 million being invested in Metro infrastructure modernisation schemes this year. It will be undertaken on behalf of Nexus by Amco-Giffen.